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BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 1
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Using Cow Signals on
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BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 3
NEWS
ISSN 1356-1561ISSN 1356-1561
BRITISH DAIRYING does not necessarily share the views of contributors No respon-sibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers
This magazine is Copyright copy WB Publishing Ltd No part of it may be reproduced in any form without prior permission of the publisherPrinted by Warners Midlands Plc
BRITISH DAIRYINGPublished by WB Publishing Ltdwwwbritishdairyingcouk
PublisherAdvertisement manager Malcolm Bridges
8 Oakhill Drive Welwyn Herts AL6 9NW Phone 01438 716220 Fax 01438 716230email malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
Editor Mike Green
Chorley Lancashire
Phone 01257 232694email mikebritishdairyingcouk
Managing editor Barry Wilson email barrydingmailcom
Production editor Carolyn Moore
Available free to selected farmers in the UK who meet the publisherrsquos terms of controlUK Subscription rate pound56yr (12 issues) Europe
ISSN 1356-1561
April 2015 Vol 21 No 6
ContentsRob Harrison NFU comment 8
Using cow signals on farm 10
Animal healthmdashBVD 12
Barry Wilson comments 15
Planning feeding systems 22-23
Forage News 26-29
Milk from maize 30-31
Supplementing grass 32-33
Milking parlour maintenance 38-39
Latest April bull proofs 50-52
Growth in organic milk marketmdashbut no supply opportunitiesWhile the conventional liquid milk market is struggling thanks to supermarket price wars the prospects for the organic sector look bright Organic milk experienced a 64 value growth compared to a decline of 16 in the standard cowsrsquo milk sector The organic growth spurt equated to pound9 million worth of extra income taking the total to pound150m Sales of organic yogurts grew by 142 to pound142m while demand for cheese dropped 27 to a value of pound24m
milk marketing report also revealed that household penetration of organic milk increased by 10 to almost 25 of UK households over the last year although volume sales of organic milk only grew by 03 to 169m litres However UK supply and demand is currently in balance and ldquothere is little scope for new suppliers to enter the marketrdquo the company says ldquoOrganic milk sales are highly concentrated with 96 of sales through the grocery multiples channel Only 3 of sales go through the convenience sector compared with 14 for the total milk category This represents a key opportunity for organic milk and an imbalance that needs to be addressed given the growth projections for the small storeconvenience sector as a wholerdquo says the report The sector is also being challenged by retailers opting to in-crease the distribution of dairy alternatives non-cowsrsquo milk and
milks But OMSCo argues that ldquoout of all these sectors organic milk was the only one to record an increase in unit return on sales per point of distribution and therefore arguably the only sector deserving of an increase rather than a decrease in distributionrdquo The report can be downloaded from wwwomscocouk
Public support for dairy farmers in the south west
A poll of more than 1000 people across Cornwall and Devon has re-vealed that 85 of people would be prepared to pay more for local dairy products if it helps secure the long-term future of milk pro-duction in the region And almost half of those interviewed (42) are willing to pay at least 20 more for the dairy they purchase
-tors has also launched a new dedicated website to help raise aware-ness of the industrymdashwwwsupportswdairyfarmerscoukmdashalong with a pledge encouraging the public to buy Westcountry dairy
-stand and appreciate local farmers are not being paid enough for the milk they produce And while 87 of people said they prefer to buy local dairy products only 11 currently do so regularly
Feasibility study for new Welsh processing facility
The Welsh government are backing a potential expansion in dairy processing capacity following an independent review of the in-
-mendations published recently The government announced they would support a feasibility study examining the potential for a dairy processing facility in south-west Wales The study will be carried out under a Welsh Dairy Leadership Board and will be completed by December
Manufacturing increase
-tion led to a 13 increase in the volume of milk used to manu-facture dairy products in 2014 A total of 7018m litres of milk were used for manufacturing purposes in 2014 the highest volume seen since 2003 This helps explain why UK dairy farmers have been more exposed to the volatility of the global dairy commodity markets than during the past 10 years say DairyCo
Death of Picston Shottle
Genus ABS has announced the passing away of the globally iconic sire Picston Shottle The recently retired bull has produced 1174948 units of semen and has more than 100000 daughters in 20000 herds in 22 countries Genus ABS re-mains the main source for Shottle
-keting conventional and sexed semen from 17 direct sons and 27 maternal grandsons
DC sale remains on track
Dairy Crest report that the pro-posed sale last November of their dairies operations to Muumlller UK amp Ireland Group for pound80m has now been referred back by the EU competition authorities to the UK for review by the Competition and Markets Authority DC say the transaction ldquoremains on trackrdquo
Grahamrsquos expansion plans
Scottish dairy company Grahamrsquos has announced plans to build a new pound20m dairy processing re-search and training facility oppo-site Stirlingrsquos Agriculture Centre It would include production lines for milk cream cheese and spread-able butter as well as a dedicated research and training centre for new product development
Chinese powder imports
Chinese milk powder imports in
the highest volumes seen for over six months according to data from Eucolait But DairyCo warn that this does not mean the Chinese are yet fully back in the market China has high levels of storage capacity meaning the country is often able to take advantage of low global commodity prices
4 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
NEWS
Professional development register Dairy Pro has reached a ground breaking agreement with Arla for its UK farmer members engaged in its Sustainable Dairy Farming Growing Together programme to register with Dairy Pro Arlarsquos sustainable dairy farm-ing programme involves a series of on-farm practical workshops
dairy farming including feeding breeding and managing the future health of the herd Each workshop is indepen-dently assessed and Dairy Pro points will be awarded to farmers attending the workshops provid-ing them with the opportunity to
Vicky Porteus Arlarsquos senior manager for quality assurance and sustainability commented ldquoIn the past Arla farmers have been in-volved in various workshops and events Making this part of a for-mal strategy means farmers gain the recognition they deserve for
participating in the programmerdquo Helen Brookes from Dairy Pro said ldquoWe are very pleased to have
members as it shows recognition for the advantages of the scheme It also adds critical mass that will
clear signal to our training part-ners and the industry alike ldquoIt also shows that the dairy industry is catching up fast with other sectors There has always been great expertise within the dairy sector but Dairy Pro is now plugging skills gaps and showing the outside world just how serious
we are about doing an excellent job for our consumers and wider societyrdquo John Allen from Kite Consult-ing which is working with Arla to deliver the programme said ldquoThe workshops will be looking at sustainably increasing milk solids production improving feed
and reducing antibiotic use ldquoThe programme is very prac-tical with each workshop focusing
farmer involvement in this activity and keeping a track of progress is criticalrdquo
National breed showsThree national breed shows plus
will headline the National Dairy Show staged at the Livestock Event at The NEC Birmingham on July 8 and 9 and supported by new sponsor Elanco The 300 available stall places will be occupied by entries for na-tional annual shows for Ayrshire Brown Swiss and British Friesian cattle societies together with en-tries for Holstein Jersey Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorn classes New to the event this year is a commercial stalls area for pedigree breeders with dairy cattle for sale
DairyCo levy rate heldThe levy rate to fund DairyCo will remain at 006 pence per litre for the third year running the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) have announced This will raise an es-timated pound699 million in 201516 AHDB chairman Peter Kendal pledged to discuss spending pri-orities with levy payers
RABDF De Lacy 2015 Dairy Student of the Year
Animal Science at Harper Adams University is the winner of the RABDF De Lacy Dairy Student of the Year RABDF invited agriculture and vet students to enter this yearrsquos revised awardmdashto complete an essay featuring business advice for the future of a 120-dairy cow unit managed by a farmer and his daughter Essays from 31 entrants were received and judged by RABDF vice chair-man Mike King RABDF Council member William Westacott and De
to give a presentation on lsquoThe UK dairy industry in the next 10 yearsrsquo Edward Towers who hails from Farleton Lancaster has already gained experience on his familyrsquos 300-cow herd and its accompanying dairy retail business He has also had stints working on dairy units in New Zealand in Germany and a placement year in Australia Scheduled to graduate this year he said ldquoWhile Irsquove already been
my options open to work overseas My parents are very supportive of me travelling and gaining further experiencemdashit opens the mind to new ideas helps to gain a perspective of the industry and to focus on what is really important back homerdquo He added ldquoTo the next 10 years and I believe that the dairy sector has a really positive future market While volatility is here to stay the challenge for us all is to readjust our businessesmdashI think we should become more reliant on technology and on home grown foragesrdquo
Dairy Student of the Year winner Edward Towers (middle) with De Lacyrsquos John Davies (left) and judges Mike King and William Westacott
Arla members sign up to Dairy Pro
SCRAPE IT - PUMP IT - STORE IT - MIX IT - SPREAD IT
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bull Safer option than low level alternatives
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BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 5
Milk Race set for third event in NottinghamThe Milk Race is to be held in Nottingham next month for the third year
in succession Since being re-established in the sporting calendar two years ago by The Dairy Council The Milk Race has become the countryrsquos biggest single-day elite race with more than 90000 spectators turning out to catch the action in 2014 This year the race will be held on Sunday May 24th and will be co-funded by the Dairy Council and DairyCo This event continues the legacy of The Milk Race which ran as the UKrsquos leading multistage cycling event between 1958 and 1993 Pictured at the launch of the 2015 event are Amanda Ball (left) from DairyCo and Sandy Wilkie (right) chairman of The Dairy
Council with last yearrsquos female Milk Race winner Katie Archibald who is also a recent world champion
NEWS
Dairy industry launch initiative to tackle JohnersquosThe dairy industry is joining forces to launch its Action Johnersquos Initiative which will help manage and reduce the incidence of Johnersquos disease in dairy cattle The Initiative developed by the Action Group on Johnersquos aims at engaging 80 of dairy farmers in Great Britain in credible and robust Johnersquos management activities by October 2016 The Initiative will implement the requirements of the National Johnersquos Management Plan and will be delivered by the newly established Action Johnersquos Delivery Team a consortium of SAC Consulting and RAFT Solu-tions jointly funded by DairyCo and milk purchasers Lyndon Edwards chairman of the Action Group on Johnersquos and of the Dairy UK Farmers Forum said ldquoThe industry-wide consultation of the draft project made it clear that the dairy industry wants to work together to tackle this disease International experience has shown that if a rigorous control programme is instituted and applied robustly Johnersquos disease can
-ence as a dairy farmer who has been successfully managing the disease on my farm for seven yearsrdquo Derek Armstrong DairyCo programme manager for endemic dis-
and more productive animals The initiative will also demonstrate the industryrsquos commitment to improving standards of animal welfarerdquo Rob Harrison NFU Dairy Board Chairman said ldquoIt is vitally impor-tant that as an industry we manage Johnersquos disease if we are to remain competitive and have a sustainable future for the dairy sector There are
we welcome the introduction of this initiativerdquo
For more information on Progutreg contact Devenish on +44 (0) 1143 216961 | progutdevenishnutritioncomwwwdevenishnutritioncom
A New Generation Yeastmiddot Unique patented hydrolysed yeastmiddot Shown to increase milk yield by up to 18kg per cow per daymiddot Works throughout the lactation cyclemiddot Shown to improve milk quality (somatic cell score)middot Increases propionate and reduces methanemiddot Works on all of the cows all of the time
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
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DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
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lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
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32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
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12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
HEATING COSTS
NEW
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Heat water every timemilk is being cooled
and lots more
Slash your milk cooling costs
ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
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100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
Dam - Kings - Ransom Ramos Ekky
Freephone 0808 202 3230
COMPANY TOP 100 PLI
BULLS
BULLSEMENCOM 26
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Semex 14
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Omen Oman X Goldwyn
Number 2 UK PLI Bull
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+ 607 PLI
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+ 544 PLI
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+ 06 Lifespan
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 3
NEWS
ISSN 1356-1561ISSN 1356-1561
BRITISH DAIRYING does not necessarily share the views of contributors No respon-sibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers
This magazine is Copyright copy WB Publishing Ltd No part of it may be reproduced in any form without prior permission of the publisherPrinted by Warners Midlands Plc
BRITISH DAIRYINGPublished by WB Publishing Ltdwwwbritishdairyingcouk
PublisherAdvertisement manager Malcolm Bridges
8 Oakhill Drive Welwyn Herts AL6 9NW Phone 01438 716220 Fax 01438 716230email malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
Editor Mike Green
Chorley Lancashire
Phone 01257 232694email mikebritishdairyingcouk
Managing editor Barry Wilson email barrydingmailcom
Production editor Carolyn Moore
Available free to selected farmers in the UK who meet the publisherrsquos terms of controlUK Subscription rate pound56yr (12 issues) Europe
ISSN 1356-1561
April 2015 Vol 21 No 6
ContentsRob Harrison NFU comment 8
Using cow signals on farm 10
Animal healthmdashBVD 12
Barry Wilson comments 15
Planning feeding systems 22-23
Forage News 26-29
Milk from maize 30-31
Supplementing grass 32-33
Milking parlour maintenance 38-39
Latest April bull proofs 50-52
Growth in organic milk marketmdashbut no supply opportunitiesWhile the conventional liquid milk market is struggling thanks to supermarket price wars the prospects for the organic sector look bright Organic milk experienced a 64 value growth compared to a decline of 16 in the standard cowsrsquo milk sector The organic growth spurt equated to pound9 million worth of extra income taking the total to pound150m Sales of organic yogurts grew by 142 to pound142m while demand for cheese dropped 27 to a value of pound24m
milk marketing report also revealed that household penetration of organic milk increased by 10 to almost 25 of UK households over the last year although volume sales of organic milk only grew by 03 to 169m litres However UK supply and demand is currently in balance and ldquothere is little scope for new suppliers to enter the marketrdquo the company says ldquoOrganic milk sales are highly concentrated with 96 of sales through the grocery multiples channel Only 3 of sales go through the convenience sector compared with 14 for the total milk category This represents a key opportunity for organic milk and an imbalance that needs to be addressed given the growth projections for the small storeconvenience sector as a wholerdquo says the report The sector is also being challenged by retailers opting to in-crease the distribution of dairy alternatives non-cowsrsquo milk and
milks But OMSCo argues that ldquoout of all these sectors organic milk was the only one to record an increase in unit return on sales per point of distribution and therefore arguably the only sector deserving of an increase rather than a decrease in distributionrdquo The report can be downloaded from wwwomscocouk
Public support for dairy farmers in the south west
A poll of more than 1000 people across Cornwall and Devon has re-vealed that 85 of people would be prepared to pay more for local dairy products if it helps secure the long-term future of milk pro-duction in the region And almost half of those interviewed (42) are willing to pay at least 20 more for the dairy they purchase
-tors has also launched a new dedicated website to help raise aware-ness of the industrymdashwwwsupportswdairyfarmerscoukmdashalong with a pledge encouraging the public to buy Westcountry dairy
-stand and appreciate local farmers are not being paid enough for the milk they produce And while 87 of people said they prefer to buy local dairy products only 11 currently do so regularly
Feasibility study for new Welsh processing facility
The Welsh government are backing a potential expansion in dairy processing capacity following an independent review of the in-
-mendations published recently The government announced they would support a feasibility study examining the potential for a dairy processing facility in south-west Wales The study will be carried out under a Welsh Dairy Leadership Board and will be completed by December
Manufacturing increase
-tion led to a 13 increase in the volume of milk used to manu-facture dairy products in 2014 A total of 7018m litres of milk were used for manufacturing purposes in 2014 the highest volume seen since 2003 This helps explain why UK dairy farmers have been more exposed to the volatility of the global dairy commodity markets than during the past 10 years say DairyCo
Death of Picston Shottle
Genus ABS has announced the passing away of the globally iconic sire Picston Shottle The recently retired bull has produced 1174948 units of semen and has more than 100000 daughters in 20000 herds in 22 countries Genus ABS re-mains the main source for Shottle
-keting conventional and sexed semen from 17 direct sons and 27 maternal grandsons
DC sale remains on track
Dairy Crest report that the pro-posed sale last November of their dairies operations to Muumlller UK amp Ireland Group for pound80m has now been referred back by the EU competition authorities to the UK for review by the Competition and Markets Authority DC say the transaction ldquoremains on trackrdquo
Grahamrsquos expansion plans
Scottish dairy company Grahamrsquos has announced plans to build a new pound20m dairy processing re-search and training facility oppo-site Stirlingrsquos Agriculture Centre It would include production lines for milk cream cheese and spread-able butter as well as a dedicated research and training centre for new product development
Chinese powder imports
Chinese milk powder imports in
the highest volumes seen for over six months according to data from Eucolait But DairyCo warn that this does not mean the Chinese are yet fully back in the market China has high levels of storage capacity meaning the country is often able to take advantage of low global commodity prices
4 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
NEWS
Professional development register Dairy Pro has reached a ground breaking agreement with Arla for its UK farmer members engaged in its Sustainable Dairy Farming Growing Together programme to register with Dairy Pro Arlarsquos sustainable dairy farm-ing programme involves a series of on-farm practical workshops
dairy farming including feeding breeding and managing the future health of the herd Each workshop is indepen-dently assessed and Dairy Pro points will be awarded to farmers attending the workshops provid-ing them with the opportunity to
Vicky Porteus Arlarsquos senior manager for quality assurance and sustainability commented ldquoIn the past Arla farmers have been in-volved in various workshops and events Making this part of a for-mal strategy means farmers gain the recognition they deserve for
participating in the programmerdquo Helen Brookes from Dairy Pro said ldquoWe are very pleased to have
members as it shows recognition for the advantages of the scheme It also adds critical mass that will
clear signal to our training part-ners and the industry alike ldquoIt also shows that the dairy industry is catching up fast with other sectors There has always been great expertise within the dairy sector but Dairy Pro is now plugging skills gaps and showing the outside world just how serious
we are about doing an excellent job for our consumers and wider societyrdquo John Allen from Kite Consult-ing which is working with Arla to deliver the programme said ldquoThe workshops will be looking at sustainably increasing milk solids production improving feed
and reducing antibiotic use ldquoThe programme is very prac-tical with each workshop focusing
farmer involvement in this activity and keeping a track of progress is criticalrdquo
National breed showsThree national breed shows plus
will headline the National Dairy Show staged at the Livestock Event at The NEC Birmingham on July 8 and 9 and supported by new sponsor Elanco The 300 available stall places will be occupied by entries for na-tional annual shows for Ayrshire Brown Swiss and British Friesian cattle societies together with en-tries for Holstein Jersey Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorn classes New to the event this year is a commercial stalls area for pedigree breeders with dairy cattle for sale
DairyCo levy rate heldThe levy rate to fund DairyCo will remain at 006 pence per litre for the third year running the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) have announced This will raise an es-timated pound699 million in 201516 AHDB chairman Peter Kendal pledged to discuss spending pri-orities with levy payers
RABDF De Lacy 2015 Dairy Student of the Year
Animal Science at Harper Adams University is the winner of the RABDF De Lacy Dairy Student of the Year RABDF invited agriculture and vet students to enter this yearrsquos revised awardmdashto complete an essay featuring business advice for the future of a 120-dairy cow unit managed by a farmer and his daughter Essays from 31 entrants were received and judged by RABDF vice chair-man Mike King RABDF Council member William Westacott and De
to give a presentation on lsquoThe UK dairy industry in the next 10 yearsrsquo Edward Towers who hails from Farleton Lancaster has already gained experience on his familyrsquos 300-cow herd and its accompanying dairy retail business He has also had stints working on dairy units in New Zealand in Germany and a placement year in Australia Scheduled to graduate this year he said ldquoWhile Irsquove already been
my options open to work overseas My parents are very supportive of me travelling and gaining further experiencemdashit opens the mind to new ideas helps to gain a perspective of the industry and to focus on what is really important back homerdquo He added ldquoTo the next 10 years and I believe that the dairy sector has a really positive future market While volatility is here to stay the challenge for us all is to readjust our businessesmdashI think we should become more reliant on technology and on home grown foragesrdquo
Dairy Student of the Year winner Edward Towers (middle) with De Lacyrsquos John Davies (left) and judges Mike King and William Westacott
Arla members sign up to Dairy Pro
SCRAPE IT - PUMP IT - STORE IT - MIX IT - SPREAD IT
Email infostorthmachinerycouk
wwwstorthmachinerycouk
EXPERTS IN SLURRY MANAGEMENT
Contact your local Storth representative
or call 01524 781 900
STORAGE
THATrsquoS BUILT TO LASTbull Glass fused to steel
coating for longer lifebull Flexibility to extend
tank in the future
bull Safer option than low level alternatives
bull Full turnkey installations
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 5
Milk Race set for third event in NottinghamThe Milk Race is to be held in Nottingham next month for the third year
in succession Since being re-established in the sporting calendar two years ago by The Dairy Council The Milk Race has become the countryrsquos biggest single-day elite race with more than 90000 spectators turning out to catch the action in 2014 This year the race will be held on Sunday May 24th and will be co-funded by the Dairy Council and DairyCo This event continues the legacy of The Milk Race which ran as the UKrsquos leading multistage cycling event between 1958 and 1993 Pictured at the launch of the 2015 event are Amanda Ball (left) from DairyCo and Sandy Wilkie (right) chairman of The Dairy
Council with last yearrsquos female Milk Race winner Katie Archibald who is also a recent world champion
NEWS
Dairy industry launch initiative to tackle JohnersquosThe dairy industry is joining forces to launch its Action Johnersquos Initiative which will help manage and reduce the incidence of Johnersquos disease in dairy cattle The Initiative developed by the Action Group on Johnersquos aims at engaging 80 of dairy farmers in Great Britain in credible and robust Johnersquos management activities by October 2016 The Initiative will implement the requirements of the National Johnersquos Management Plan and will be delivered by the newly established Action Johnersquos Delivery Team a consortium of SAC Consulting and RAFT Solu-tions jointly funded by DairyCo and milk purchasers Lyndon Edwards chairman of the Action Group on Johnersquos and of the Dairy UK Farmers Forum said ldquoThe industry-wide consultation of the draft project made it clear that the dairy industry wants to work together to tackle this disease International experience has shown that if a rigorous control programme is instituted and applied robustly Johnersquos disease can
-ence as a dairy farmer who has been successfully managing the disease on my farm for seven yearsrdquo Derek Armstrong DairyCo programme manager for endemic dis-
and more productive animals The initiative will also demonstrate the industryrsquos commitment to improving standards of animal welfarerdquo Rob Harrison NFU Dairy Board Chairman said ldquoIt is vitally impor-tant that as an industry we manage Johnersquos disease if we are to remain competitive and have a sustainable future for the dairy sector There are
we welcome the introduction of this initiativerdquo
For more information on Progutreg contact Devenish on +44 (0) 1143 216961 | progutdevenishnutritioncomwwwdevenishnutritioncom
A New Generation Yeastmiddot Unique patented hydrolysed yeastmiddot Shown to increase milk yield by up to 18kg per cow per daymiddot Works throughout the lactation cyclemiddot Shown to improve milk quality (somatic cell score)middot Increases propionate and reduces methanemiddot Works on all of the cows all of the time
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
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Uses syngergistic organic acids surfactant and antiseptic oil
Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
The tried amp tested cattle footbath for frequent use
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
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12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
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16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
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18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
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ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
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22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
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UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
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For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
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rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 3
NEWS
ISSN 1356-1561ISSN 1356-1561
BRITISH DAIRYING does not necessarily share the views of contributors No respon-sibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers
This magazine is Copyright copy WB Publishing Ltd No part of it may be reproduced in any form without prior permission of the publisherPrinted by Warners Midlands Plc
BRITISH DAIRYINGPublished by WB Publishing Ltdwwwbritishdairyingcouk
PublisherAdvertisement manager Malcolm Bridges
8 Oakhill Drive Welwyn Herts AL6 9NW Phone 01438 716220 Fax 01438 716230email malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
Editor Mike Green
Chorley Lancashire
Phone 01257 232694email mikebritishdairyingcouk
Managing editor Barry Wilson email barrydingmailcom
Production editor Carolyn Moore
Available free to selected farmers in the UK who meet the publisherrsquos terms of controlUK Subscription rate pound56yr (12 issues) Europe
ISSN 1356-1561
April 2015 Vol 21 No 6
ContentsRob Harrison NFU comment 8
Using cow signals on farm 10
Animal healthmdashBVD 12
Barry Wilson comments 15
Planning feeding systems 22-23
Forage News 26-29
Milk from maize 30-31
Supplementing grass 32-33
Milking parlour maintenance 38-39
Latest April bull proofs 50-52
Growth in organic milk marketmdashbut no supply opportunitiesWhile the conventional liquid milk market is struggling thanks to supermarket price wars the prospects for the organic sector look bright Organic milk experienced a 64 value growth compared to a decline of 16 in the standard cowsrsquo milk sector The organic growth spurt equated to pound9 million worth of extra income taking the total to pound150m Sales of organic yogurts grew by 142 to pound142m while demand for cheese dropped 27 to a value of pound24m
milk marketing report also revealed that household penetration of organic milk increased by 10 to almost 25 of UK households over the last year although volume sales of organic milk only grew by 03 to 169m litres However UK supply and demand is currently in balance and ldquothere is little scope for new suppliers to enter the marketrdquo the company says ldquoOrganic milk sales are highly concentrated with 96 of sales through the grocery multiples channel Only 3 of sales go through the convenience sector compared with 14 for the total milk category This represents a key opportunity for organic milk and an imbalance that needs to be addressed given the growth projections for the small storeconvenience sector as a wholerdquo says the report The sector is also being challenged by retailers opting to in-crease the distribution of dairy alternatives non-cowsrsquo milk and
milks But OMSCo argues that ldquoout of all these sectors organic milk was the only one to record an increase in unit return on sales per point of distribution and therefore arguably the only sector deserving of an increase rather than a decrease in distributionrdquo The report can be downloaded from wwwomscocouk
Public support for dairy farmers in the south west
A poll of more than 1000 people across Cornwall and Devon has re-vealed that 85 of people would be prepared to pay more for local dairy products if it helps secure the long-term future of milk pro-duction in the region And almost half of those interviewed (42) are willing to pay at least 20 more for the dairy they purchase
-tors has also launched a new dedicated website to help raise aware-ness of the industrymdashwwwsupportswdairyfarmerscoukmdashalong with a pledge encouraging the public to buy Westcountry dairy
-stand and appreciate local farmers are not being paid enough for the milk they produce And while 87 of people said they prefer to buy local dairy products only 11 currently do so regularly
Feasibility study for new Welsh processing facility
The Welsh government are backing a potential expansion in dairy processing capacity following an independent review of the in-
-mendations published recently The government announced they would support a feasibility study examining the potential for a dairy processing facility in south-west Wales The study will be carried out under a Welsh Dairy Leadership Board and will be completed by December
Manufacturing increase
-tion led to a 13 increase in the volume of milk used to manu-facture dairy products in 2014 A total of 7018m litres of milk were used for manufacturing purposes in 2014 the highest volume seen since 2003 This helps explain why UK dairy farmers have been more exposed to the volatility of the global dairy commodity markets than during the past 10 years say DairyCo
Death of Picston Shottle
Genus ABS has announced the passing away of the globally iconic sire Picston Shottle The recently retired bull has produced 1174948 units of semen and has more than 100000 daughters in 20000 herds in 22 countries Genus ABS re-mains the main source for Shottle
-keting conventional and sexed semen from 17 direct sons and 27 maternal grandsons
DC sale remains on track
Dairy Crest report that the pro-posed sale last November of their dairies operations to Muumlller UK amp Ireland Group for pound80m has now been referred back by the EU competition authorities to the UK for review by the Competition and Markets Authority DC say the transaction ldquoremains on trackrdquo
Grahamrsquos expansion plans
Scottish dairy company Grahamrsquos has announced plans to build a new pound20m dairy processing re-search and training facility oppo-site Stirlingrsquos Agriculture Centre It would include production lines for milk cream cheese and spread-able butter as well as a dedicated research and training centre for new product development
Chinese powder imports
Chinese milk powder imports in
the highest volumes seen for over six months according to data from Eucolait But DairyCo warn that this does not mean the Chinese are yet fully back in the market China has high levels of storage capacity meaning the country is often able to take advantage of low global commodity prices
4 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
NEWS
Professional development register Dairy Pro has reached a ground breaking agreement with Arla for its UK farmer members engaged in its Sustainable Dairy Farming Growing Together programme to register with Dairy Pro Arlarsquos sustainable dairy farm-ing programme involves a series of on-farm practical workshops
dairy farming including feeding breeding and managing the future health of the herd Each workshop is indepen-dently assessed and Dairy Pro points will be awarded to farmers attending the workshops provid-ing them with the opportunity to
Vicky Porteus Arlarsquos senior manager for quality assurance and sustainability commented ldquoIn the past Arla farmers have been in-volved in various workshops and events Making this part of a for-mal strategy means farmers gain the recognition they deserve for
participating in the programmerdquo Helen Brookes from Dairy Pro said ldquoWe are very pleased to have
members as it shows recognition for the advantages of the scheme It also adds critical mass that will
clear signal to our training part-ners and the industry alike ldquoIt also shows that the dairy industry is catching up fast with other sectors There has always been great expertise within the dairy sector but Dairy Pro is now plugging skills gaps and showing the outside world just how serious
we are about doing an excellent job for our consumers and wider societyrdquo John Allen from Kite Consult-ing which is working with Arla to deliver the programme said ldquoThe workshops will be looking at sustainably increasing milk solids production improving feed
and reducing antibiotic use ldquoThe programme is very prac-tical with each workshop focusing
farmer involvement in this activity and keeping a track of progress is criticalrdquo
National breed showsThree national breed shows plus
will headline the National Dairy Show staged at the Livestock Event at The NEC Birmingham on July 8 and 9 and supported by new sponsor Elanco The 300 available stall places will be occupied by entries for na-tional annual shows for Ayrshire Brown Swiss and British Friesian cattle societies together with en-tries for Holstein Jersey Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorn classes New to the event this year is a commercial stalls area for pedigree breeders with dairy cattle for sale
DairyCo levy rate heldThe levy rate to fund DairyCo will remain at 006 pence per litre for the third year running the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) have announced This will raise an es-timated pound699 million in 201516 AHDB chairman Peter Kendal pledged to discuss spending pri-orities with levy payers
RABDF De Lacy 2015 Dairy Student of the Year
Animal Science at Harper Adams University is the winner of the RABDF De Lacy Dairy Student of the Year RABDF invited agriculture and vet students to enter this yearrsquos revised awardmdashto complete an essay featuring business advice for the future of a 120-dairy cow unit managed by a farmer and his daughter Essays from 31 entrants were received and judged by RABDF vice chair-man Mike King RABDF Council member William Westacott and De
to give a presentation on lsquoThe UK dairy industry in the next 10 yearsrsquo Edward Towers who hails from Farleton Lancaster has already gained experience on his familyrsquos 300-cow herd and its accompanying dairy retail business He has also had stints working on dairy units in New Zealand in Germany and a placement year in Australia Scheduled to graduate this year he said ldquoWhile Irsquove already been
my options open to work overseas My parents are very supportive of me travelling and gaining further experiencemdashit opens the mind to new ideas helps to gain a perspective of the industry and to focus on what is really important back homerdquo He added ldquoTo the next 10 years and I believe that the dairy sector has a really positive future market While volatility is here to stay the challenge for us all is to readjust our businessesmdashI think we should become more reliant on technology and on home grown foragesrdquo
Dairy Student of the Year winner Edward Towers (middle) with De Lacyrsquos John Davies (left) and judges Mike King and William Westacott
Arla members sign up to Dairy Pro
SCRAPE IT - PUMP IT - STORE IT - MIX IT - SPREAD IT
Email infostorthmachinerycouk
wwwstorthmachinerycouk
EXPERTS IN SLURRY MANAGEMENT
Contact your local Storth representative
or call 01524 781 900
STORAGE
THATrsquoS BUILT TO LASTbull Glass fused to steel
coating for longer lifebull Flexibility to extend
tank in the future
bull Safer option than low level alternatives
bull Full turnkey installations
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 5
Milk Race set for third event in NottinghamThe Milk Race is to be held in Nottingham next month for the third year
in succession Since being re-established in the sporting calendar two years ago by The Dairy Council The Milk Race has become the countryrsquos biggest single-day elite race with more than 90000 spectators turning out to catch the action in 2014 This year the race will be held on Sunday May 24th and will be co-funded by the Dairy Council and DairyCo This event continues the legacy of The Milk Race which ran as the UKrsquos leading multistage cycling event between 1958 and 1993 Pictured at the launch of the 2015 event are Amanda Ball (left) from DairyCo and Sandy Wilkie (right) chairman of The Dairy
Council with last yearrsquos female Milk Race winner Katie Archibald who is also a recent world champion
NEWS
Dairy industry launch initiative to tackle JohnersquosThe dairy industry is joining forces to launch its Action Johnersquos Initiative which will help manage and reduce the incidence of Johnersquos disease in dairy cattle The Initiative developed by the Action Group on Johnersquos aims at engaging 80 of dairy farmers in Great Britain in credible and robust Johnersquos management activities by October 2016 The Initiative will implement the requirements of the National Johnersquos Management Plan and will be delivered by the newly established Action Johnersquos Delivery Team a consortium of SAC Consulting and RAFT Solu-tions jointly funded by DairyCo and milk purchasers Lyndon Edwards chairman of the Action Group on Johnersquos and of the Dairy UK Farmers Forum said ldquoThe industry-wide consultation of the draft project made it clear that the dairy industry wants to work together to tackle this disease International experience has shown that if a rigorous control programme is instituted and applied robustly Johnersquos disease can
-ence as a dairy farmer who has been successfully managing the disease on my farm for seven yearsrdquo Derek Armstrong DairyCo programme manager for endemic dis-
and more productive animals The initiative will also demonstrate the industryrsquos commitment to improving standards of animal welfarerdquo Rob Harrison NFU Dairy Board Chairman said ldquoIt is vitally impor-tant that as an industry we manage Johnersquos disease if we are to remain competitive and have a sustainable future for the dairy sector There are
we welcome the introduction of this initiativerdquo
For more information on Progutreg contact Devenish on +44 (0) 1143 216961 | progutdevenishnutritioncomwwwdevenishnutritioncom
A New Generation Yeastmiddot Unique patented hydrolysed yeastmiddot Shown to increase milk yield by up to 18kg per cow per daymiddot Works throughout the lactation cyclemiddot Shown to improve milk quality (somatic cell score)middot Increases propionate and reduces methanemiddot Works on all of the cows all of the time
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
Looking for an alternative to Formalin
t 01772 690131 e w
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ERY
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Low usage rates- less shipping and empty drums
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Use at 2 for the first week then at 1 dilution
Uses syngergistic organic acids surfactant and antiseptic oil
Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
The tried amp tested cattle footbath for frequent use
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
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Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
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Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
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Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
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erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
4 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
NEWS
Professional development register Dairy Pro has reached a ground breaking agreement with Arla for its UK farmer members engaged in its Sustainable Dairy Farming Growing Together programme to register with Dairy Pro Arlarsquos sustainable dairy farm-ing programme involves a series of on-farm practical workshops
dairy farming including feeding breeding and managing the future health of the herd Each workshop is indepen-dently assessed and Dairy Pro points will be awarded to farmers attending the workshops provid-ing them with the opportunity to
Vicky Porteus Arlarsquos senior manager for quality assurance and sustainability commented ldquoIn the past Arla farmers have been in-volved in various workshops and events Making this part of a for-mal strategy means farmers gain the recognition they deserve for
participating in the programmerdquo Helen Brookes from Dairy Pro said ldquoWe are very pleased to have
members as it shows recognition for the advantages of the scheme It also adds critical mass that will
clear signal to our training part-ners and the industry alike ldquoIt also shows that the dairy industry is catching up fast with other sectors There has always been great expertise within the dairy sector but Dairy Pro is now plugging skills gaps and showing the outside world just how serious
we are about doing an excellent job for our consumers and wider societyrdquo John Allen from Kite Consult-ing which is working with Arla to deliver the programme said ldquoThe workshops will be looking at sustainably increasing milk solids production improving feed
and reducing antibiotic use ldquoThe programme is very prac-tical with each workshop focusing
farmer involvement in this activity and keeping a track of progress is criticalrdquo
National breed showsThree national breed shows plus
will headline the National Dairy Show staged at the Livestock Event at The NEC Birmingham on July 8 and 9 and supported by new sponsor Elanco The 300 available stall places will be occupied by entries for na-tional annual shows for Ayrshire Brown Swiss and British Friesian cattle societies together with en-tries for Holstein Jersey Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorn classes New to the event this year is a commercial stalls area for pedigree breeders with dairy cattle for sale
DairyCo levy rate heldThe levy rate to fund DairyCo will remain at 006 pence per litre for the third year running the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) have announced This will raise an es-timated pound699 million in 201516 AHDB chairman Peter Kendal pledged to discuss spending pri-orities with levy payers
RABDF De Lacy 2015 Dairy Student of the Year
Animal Science at Harper Adams University is the winner of the RABDF De Lacy Dairy Student of the Year RABDF invited agriculture and vet students to enter this yearrsquos revised awardmdashto complete an essay featuring business advice for the future of a 120-dairy cow unit managed by a farmer and his daughter Essays from 31 entrants were received and judged by RABDF vice chair-man Mike King RABDF Council member William Westacott and De
to give a presentation on lsquoThe UK dairy industry in the next 10 yearsrsquo Edward Towers who hails from Farleton Lancaster has already gained experience on his familyrsquos 300-cow herd and its accompanying dairy retail business He has also had stints working on dairy units in New Zealand in Germany and a placement year in Australia Scheduled to graduate this year he said ldquoWhile Irsquove already been
my options open to work overseas My parents are very supportive of me travelling and gaining further experiencemdashit opens the mind to new ideas helps to gain a perspective of the industry and to focus on what is really important back homerdquo He added ldquoTo the next 10 years and I believe that the dairy sector has a really positive future market While volatility is here to stay the challenge for us all is to readjust our businessesmdashI think we should become more reliant on technology and on home grown foragesrdquo
Dairy Student of the Year winner Edward Towers (middle) with De Lacyrsquos John Davies (left) and judges Mike King and William Westacott
Arla members sign up to Dairy Pro
SCRAPE IT - PUMP IT - STORE IT - MIX IT - SPREAD IT
Email infostorthmachinerycouk
wwwstorthmachinerycouk
EXPERTS IN SLURRY MANAGEMENT
Contact your local Storth representative
or call 01524 781 900
STORAGE
THATrsquoS BUILT TO LASTbull Glass fused to steel
coating for longer lifebull Flexibility to extend
tank in the future
bull Safer option than low level alternatives
bull Full turnkey installations
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 5
Milk Race set for third event in NottinghamThe Milk Race is to be held in Nottingham next month for the third year
in succession Since being re-established in the sporting calendar two years ago by The Dairy Council The Milk Race has become the countryrsquos biggest single-day elite race with more than 90000 spectators turning out to catch the action in 2014 This year the race will be held on Sunday May 24th and will be co-funded by the Dairy Council and DairyCo This event continues the legacy of The Milk Race which ran as the UKrsquos leading multistage cycling event between 1958 and 1993 Pictured at the launch of the 2015 event are Amanda Ball (left) from DairyCo and Sandy Wilkie (right) chairman of The Dairy
Council with last yearrsquos female Milk Race winner Katie Archibald who is also a recent world champion
NEWS
Dairy industry launch initiative to tackle JohnersquosThe dairy industry is joining forces to launch its Action Johnersquos Initiative which will help manage and reduce the incidence of Johnersquos disease in dairy cattle The Initiative developed by the Action Group on Johnersquos aims at engaging 80 of dairy farmers in Great Britain in credible and robust Johnersquos management activities by October 2016 The Initiative will implement the requirements of the National Johnersquos Management Plan and will be delivered by the newly established Action Johnersquos Delivery Team a consortium of SAC Consulting and RAFT Solu-tions jointly funded by DairyCo and milk purchasers Lyndon Edwards chairman of the Action Group on Johnersquos and of the Dairy UK Farmers Forum said ldquoThe industry-wide consultation of the draft project made it clear that the dairy industry wants to work together to tackle this disease International experience has shown that if a rigorous control programme is instituted and applied robustly Johnersquos disease can
-ence as a dairy farmer who has been successfully managing the disease on my farm for seven yearsrdquo Derek Armstrong DairyCo programme manager for endemic dis-
and more productive animals The initiative will also demonstrate the industryrsquos commitment to improving standards of animal welfarerdquo Rob Harrison NFU Dairy Board Chairman said ldquoIt is vitally impor-tant that as an industry we manage Johnersquos disease if we are to remain competitive and have a sustainable future for the dairy sector There are
we welcome the introduction of this initiativerdquo
For more information on Progutreg contact Devenish on +44 (0) 1143 216961 | progutdevenishnutritioncomwwwdevenishnutritioncom
A New Generation Yeastmiddot Unique patented hydrolysed yeastmiddot Shown to increase milk yield by up to 18kg per cow per daymiddot Works throughout the lactation cyclemiddot Shown to improve milk quality (somatic cell score)middot Increases propionate and reduces methanemiddot Works on all of the cows all of the time
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
Looking for an alternative to Formalin
t 01772 690131 e w
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ERY
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No Formalin Copper or Quats
Low usage rates- less shipping and empty drums
Low cost of use similar to Formalin
Use at 2 for the first week then at 1 dilution
Uses syngergistic organic acids surfactant and antiseptic oil
Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
The tried amp tested cattle footbath for frequent use
FREE PPE KIT
UltraCellYEAST
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
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Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
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Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
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Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
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Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
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erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
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distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 5
Milk Race set for third event in NottinghamThe Milk Race is to be held in Nottingham next month for the third year
in succession Since being re-established in the sporting calendar two years ago by The Dairy Council The Milk Race has become the countryrsquos biggest single-day elite race with more than 90000 spectators turning out to catch the action in 2014 This year the race will be held on Sunday May 24th and will be co-funded by the Dairy Council and DairyCo This event continues the legacy of The Milk Race which ran as the UKrsquos leading multistage cycling event between 1958 and 1993 Pictured at the launch of the 2015 event are Amanda Ball (left) from DairyCo and Sandy Wilkie (right) chairman of The Dairy
Council with last yearrsquos female Milk Race winner Katie Archibald who is also a recent world champion
NEWS
Dairy industry launch initiative to tackle JohnersquosThe dairy industry is joining forces to launch its Action Johnersquos Initiative which will help manage and reduce the incidence of Johnersquos disease in dairy cattle The Initiative developed by the Action Group on Johnersquos aims at engaging 80 of dairy farmers in Great Britain in credible and robust Johnersquos management activities by October 2016 The Initiative will implement the requirements of the National Johnersquos Management Plan and will be delivered by the newly established Action Johnersquos Delivery Team a consortium of SAC Consulting and RAFT Solu-tions jointly funded by DairyCo and milk purchasers Lyndon Edwards chairman of the Action Group on Johnersquos and of the Dairy UK Farmers Forum said ldquoThe industry-wide consultation of the draft project made it clear that the dairy industry wants to work together to tackle this disease International experience has shown that if a rigorous control programme is instituted and applied robustly Johnersquos disease can
-ence as a dairy farmer who has been successfully managing the disease on my farm for seven yearsrdquo Derek Armstrong DairyCo programme manager for endemic dis-
and more productive animals The initiative will also demonstrate the industryrsquos commitment to improving standards of animal welfarerdquo Rob Harrison NFU Dairy Board Chairman said ldquoIt is vitally impor-tant that as an industry we manage Johnersquos disease if we are to remain competitive and have a sustainable future for the dairy sector There are
we welcome the introduction of this initiativerdquo
For more information on Progutreg contact Devenish on +44 (0) 1143 216961 | progutdevenishnutritioncomwwwdevenishnutritioncom
A New Generation Yeastmiddot Unique patented hydrolysed yeastmiddot Shown to increase milk yield by up to 18kg per cow per daymiddot Works throughout the lactation cyclemiddot Shown to improve milk quality (somatic cell score)middot Increases propionate and reduces methanemiddot Works on all of the cows all of the time
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
Looking for an alternative to Formalin
t 01772 690131 e w
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ERY
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Low usage rates- less shipping and empty drums
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Use at 2 for the first week then at 1 dilution
Uses syngergistic organic acids surfactant and antiseptic oil
Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
The tried amp tested cattle footbath for frequent use
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UltraCellYEAST
UltraCellYEAST
10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
HEATING COSTS
NEW
CONTACT US FOR AFREE INFO PACK
Heat water every timemilk is being cooled
and lots more
Slash your milk cooling costs
ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
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100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
MICK GOULD WOODMARSH HOLSTEINS SHROPSHIRE
ldquoIF YOU CAN GET ALL YOU WANT IN TERMS OF MILK AND TYPE AND THEN GET ADDITIONAL HEALTH
BENEFITS ON TOP THEN WHY WOULDNrsquoT YOU WANT TO USE IMMUNITY+ SIRESrdquo
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
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Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
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12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
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16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
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Lely cows manage their own time
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18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
Semex exclusive patented Immunity+ sires have been tested and confirmed to have high levels of immune response Studies show that Immunity+ sires pass on their natural defence to their daughters and future generations
0800 86 88 90 | wwwsemexcouk
DAUGHTERS HAVE
Fleming et al 2014
Wagter et al 2000
Productive Life SCS and DPR
CDN Fertility Measures by Sire April 2014
USDACDCB proof data April 2014
25
heritable
DISEASE RESISTANCE
High immunity passed fromparent to progeny at rates
exceeding all healthfitness traits
LESS DISEASEFOR EACH GENERATION
Higher Quality ColostrumHigh immune cows have significantly more total
immunoglobulin and betalactoglobulin in colostrum
Greater Response toCommercial Vaccines
Higher semen fertility+09 higher SCR than other bulls
IMMUNE RESPONSE HAS+05 - +07 GENETIC CORRELATION
WITH HEALTHFITNESS TRAITS
37 higher 56-day non-return rates as cows
BetterHealth
HighImmunity
HigherFertility
4-8
x2 x3 x4
FIRSTMATING
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONSTO IMMUNITY+ SIRES
lessmastitis
27 lessmetritis
17
less retained placenta
32
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
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10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
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12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
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Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
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18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
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The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
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and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
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For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
8 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Contracts and collaboration vital issues for industry
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison looks at the current key issues facing the industry
ROB HARRISON COMMENT
It is fair to say that as dairy farmers both in the UK and
across the globe we have had a pretty tough time over the last six months Although at the NFU we are optimistic that things will improve later this year and that we can get back on track There has been a big shift dur-ing this crisis and we are seeing processors revert to type and milk contracts are regressing to the dark ages once again This is depressing to seemdashand we must urgently stop this in its tracks to keep the work of the last three years in pushing the industry forwards The im-portance of milk contracts cannot be overstated Huge discrepancies between what milk buyers are paying has become more common which
should lead to more accurate market-driven pricing However with an increasing lack of transpar-ency all we seem to have ended up with is groups of ldquohavesrdquo and ldquohave notsrdquo
Huge price differences
What is less widely known is that now more than ever we are seeing
paid on the same contract with too many farmers not maximis-ing their contract to gain the best return even when the base level is shockingly low We have seen cases of quality not reaching speci-
producing liquid milk on a solids contract and vice-versa It doesnrsquot matter if yoursquore selling for liquid
milk cheese or even running a supermarketmdashyou have to give the customer what they want Behind the scenes there has been a huge effort the last few months to make sure farmers who have been left outside of contract have their milk col-lected Although we
been managed it has not been easy and un-fortunately there are a number of farmers who will be on a market realisation or temporary contract because they have been dropped by their milk buyer
Securing future market
As milk producers there are lots of things that we should be doing to secure our market going forward1
their business plan suit your busi--
ment and it is vital to be informed 2 -
competing to get product in store or to reach other markets and the
be in a better position to support you in the long-run3 Have you and others been treated fairly over the last six
term business We have seen farmersrsquo milk contracts terminated within months of being signed up and contract terms altered mainly with the introduction of A and B quotas with very little notice and zero consultationmdashthis will have a
4 Look at the companyrsquos long-term pricing Is it better for your business to sell to a business that provides a stable price or are you prepared to ride commodities and receive the very highs and the very
of both worlds and purely chasing
price can be damaging in the long run
job and we are all too busy farming to think about the marketing of our milk One of our biggest challenges as a farming union when talking to milk buyers is farmer apathy I have spoken to many farmers recently who donrsquot want to speak out in fear of
being dropped by their milk buyer There are a few rogues out there but in general milk processors are human However they are under pressure too and it is vital that as farmers we collaborate to bring about change There are many ways to work together ranging from discussion groups to democratic supply groups and from formal producer organisations to co-operatives Risk needs to be shared fairly across the industry and these groups have a big part to play in giving farmers a united voice and ensuring they are well represented Processors need a regular and secure supply of quality milk and farmers need processors to collect and pay for their product It is vital the supply chain functions effectively for this industry to continue
We have seen over the last year or so the potential within the
go up and down but in order to thrive compared to our European and worldwide competitors we have to make sure we are set up to maximise pricing opportunities and minimise volatility within our domestic market place Farm-ers and processors need to have
battering Letrsquos learn from recent experiences and try and move forward collectively and smartly
Rob Harrison
Looking for an alternative to Formalin
t 01772 690131 e w
FREE
UK DELIV
ERY
TK Everyday Footbath Chemical
No Formalin Copper or Quats
Low usage rates- less shipping and empty drums
Low cost of use similar to Formalin
Use at 2 for the first week then at 1 dilution
Uses syngergistic organic acids surfactant and antiseptic oil
Review from D Swale LancashireldquoWe have been looking for a product to use in our daily foot bath routine that works equally well for both the staff who have to administer it and the cows it has to treat TK Everyday works well as part of our routinerdquo
The tried amp tested cattle footbath for frequent use
FREE PPE KIT
UltraCellYEAST
UltraCellYEAST
10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
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Dairymac Limited
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For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
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New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
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More preserved proteins more digestibility
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
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erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
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wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
UltraCellYEAST
UltraCellYEAST
10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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Slash your milk cooling costs
ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
10 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Use cow signals to check performance
COW SIGNALS
Mole Valley Farmersrsquo head of nutrition and technical
service Tom Hough believes all -
ing back and looking at what cows are telling them at the feed trough
the time but low milk price really focuses the mindrdquo he said ldquoDry matter intake is essential for cow
one of the most common issues I see are neck rubs caused by incor-rectly positioned neck rails at the trough Why are we making it harder for a cow to achieve dry matter intakesrdquo Speaking at a recent cow signals day organised by Duchy College in collaboration with Mole Valley Farmers for Duchy students studying Level 2 3 or 4 agricul-tural apprenticeship courses Mr Hough said if more than 10 of
the herd had neck rubs then attention s h o u l d b e turned to the feed trough ldquoResearch carried out on a Norwegian
unit found i m p r o v i n g neck rail po-sition boosted growth rates by 200g a day which sug-gests dairy producers could see a notable improvement in perfor-mance by doing the samerdquo he said at the Duchy College farm in Stoke Climsland Mr Hough explained that the ultimate aim was to present
cows with a palatable consistent well balanced ration This would ensure the rumen worked at its optimum to get the most out of the diet To monitor intakes and how well the ration was working Mr Hough advised apprentices
-nals check list on their employersrsquo farms (see table) This should include looking at the incidence of neck rubs
you can do is push up feed more regularly so she doesnrsquot have to stretch for itmdash10 to 12 push ups a day would be ideal aiming for a minimum of sixrdquo he said
and instant indicator of dry matter intakes This should be assessed by standing on the left side of the cow and looking at the triangle of
Ideally the skin should go down
questions should be asked whymdashis it feed presentation or feed space for example ldquoBody condition is also a use-ful indicator of how well the ration is working If cows are too fat at
and suggests feeding was wrong in late lactationrdquo said Mr Hough These fat cows indicate over supply of costly feed in late lacta-tion They will also be more prone to lower intakes at calving and be more likely to develop metabolic problems In the current milk price en-vironment Mr Hough said those farms feeding one ration and struggling with over fat cows at
splitting groups or feeding to yield in the parlour Farmers should also aim to condition score two to three months before calving to provide enough time to address problems and pull back feeding or give more Duchy Collegersquos Roger Clarke said measuring and assessing cow signals around the feed trough was a crucial tool in maximising farm
ldquoItrsquos important for both future and current farmers to look at their farm system from a cowrsquos perspec-tiverdquo said Mr Clarke ldquoA happier cow is a more prof-itable cow creating a sustainable futurerdquo he added
Tom Hough highlighting neck rubs on cows
Five minute benchmarking check list for the dairy herdCow Signal Target
of cows lying in cubicles 90
of cows in cubicles ruminating 70
Number of chews per cud 55 to 70
Number of breaths per minute 20 to 40
more than 3
more than 4
Body condition score (BCS) of dry cows 3
Change of BCS from dry cow group to cows 60 days calved
Max 05 BCS loss
neck rubs less than 10engineering for a better world GEA Farm Technologies
FREE water heater with all cooling tanks
Available until August 2015
Visit wwwgea-farmtechnologiescouk or call 02476 692 333 Terms and conditions apply Installation not included
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
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Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
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erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
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The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
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26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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FEEDS SUCCESS
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
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Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
WG
With the post-emergence herbicide that weeds fearFor superior control choose MaisTer WGThe post-emergence herbicide thatrsquos provento control a broad spectrum of grass andbroad-leaved weeds When it comes to maize crop protection against even the toughest of weeds nothing comes close
Visit bayercropsciencecouk to fi nd out more
MaisTer is a registered trademark of Bayer MaisTer WG contains foramsulfuron and iodosulfuron Use plant protection products safely Always read the label and product information before use Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label For further information please visit wwwbayercropsciencecouk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 01223 226644 copy Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
Weed control thatrsquos a class apart
wwwbayercropsciencecouk
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
HEATING COSTS
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Heat water every timemilk is being cooled
and lots more
Slash your milk cooling costs
ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
12 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Lessons still to be learnt about BVD vaccination
BVD vaccines have been available for the last 20 years and in recent years there has been good uptake in dairy herds But there is a perception from producers that they can
vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health
ANIMAL HEALTH
BVD continues to be a problem in dairy herds despite the
farmers to control the disease ldquoTag and testing is now beginning
and cohort blood testing both of which have been used for some timerdquo says vet Jon Reader ldquoBut there is still no national eradication scheme in England and Wales and so farmers and vets are starting to develop their own personalised eradication protocolrdquo Despite this a lot of persistent-ly infected animals (PIs) are still being found in herds throughout the country ldquoWhat we have been seeing is that farmers say their herds are closed but they are not strictly closed So we see a lot of active infection even in vaccinated herds ldquoSome of this is down to purchase of animals from the Continent particularly large herds bringing in 30 to 40 head at a timerdquo At present in the UK we have mainly Type 1 BVD but
from mainland Europe in these imported animals Vaccines used in the UK protect against Type 1
very seriouslyrdquo warns Mr Reader
serious health problems including abortions and even death ldquoA lot of research has shown inadequacies in BVD vaccination programmesrdquo he says ldquoMost
before maiden heifers are served We currently use dead vaccines which requires two doses But it is important to get the timings right or you donrsquot get proper protec-tionrdquo Heifers need to be vaccinated
service and then receive a second
later depending on the vaccine used
BVD vaccination studiesA study by the British Cattle Vet-
found thatmdashA third of farmers never referred to the data sheets
route of administration
the primary course at incorrect interval
course of BVD vaccinations at the right time prior to servicerdquo says Mr Reader ldquoIt is therefore no sur-prise why sometimes PIs are still produced in vaccinated herdsrdquo A survey of 86 farmers re-ported in the Veterinary Record in
-ers administered the second dose within the recommended time frame ldquoHeifers need to be fully protected before they are servedrdquo he said ldquoYou get a PI calf if an unprotected dam is infected in the
ldquoFarmers assume BVD vac-
but I would urge them to test for PIs as wellrdquo Under current vaccination pro-grammes there are periods when
to sit down with their vet and highlight these ldquowindowsrdquo when animals may go unprotectedrdquo
New BVD vaccineTo address some of these issues Boehringer Ingleheim Vetmedica
unique BVD vaccine It is a live
which only requires a one dose primary course ldquoWe can get better
compliance and better protection against disease with a live vaccine
courserdquo he says ldquoThe vaccine also
is not rife in the UK but it has the potential to berdquo Called Bovela the vaccine has been in development over the last 17 years and has undergone extensive safety testing ldquoIt has been tested on a huge number of animalsrdquo says Mr Reader ldquoBovela is a new generation of live vaccine which provides excellent protection but does not cause diseaserdquo Another advan-tage is that the vac-cine can be given from three months of age Starting earlier vaccination means farmers can do an annual vaccination of
the farm protecting them sooner
their vet about how this might
which they might be using to monitor BVD status ldquoIn calves protection against BVD can lead to a dramatic im-provement in health if its BVD thatrsquos been grumbling on in the
adult cows similarly protection against BVD when there has been active infection means farmers are
fertility parameters particularly conception rates as well as re-duced abortions BVD can cause abortions on its own or allow in other infections that cause this
and no circulating active infection there are better growth rates no runts and a general improvement in health with reduced mortality rates
ldquoThis new vaccine plus tag and testing may help speed up the eradication of BVD in dairy herdsrdquo predicts Mr Reader ldquoThere is no legal requirement for cleaning up
-ing at this particularly the more progressive dairy producers ldquoTag and test comes with a white tag and we are now starting
these calves It is not much but should cover the cost of the tag
be a useful diagnostic tool It has only been available for the last couple of years but will immediately tell if you have any PIs
on the day of testing You need to repeat the test a few months later to catch the dry cows which were missed
ldquoBut remember if the tests are negative it does not
infectedrdquo
can be arranged by your vetHe warns that if farmers do eradi-cate BVD from their herd in most cases they cannot stop vaccinat-
a naiumlve herd ldquoMany farms have poor bi-osecurity and so not vaccinating is not a sensible option If BVD enters the herd it can be devastat-ing Therefore farmers need to vaccinate as an insurance policy ldquoAnimals can get BVD from
vehicles farm visitors and other routes We also need to protect our herds from heifers imported from abroadmdashthis is the next big threat ldquoThe cost of getting the disease can be hugemdashso farmers need to prevent and control itrdquo he adds
Vet Jon Reader
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
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16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
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18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
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ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
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22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
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UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
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TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
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For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
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rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 13
FEED MARKET ANALYSIS
By lsquoHayseedrsquo-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
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Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
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Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
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For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
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erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
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and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
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For more information ask your local
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check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
14 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Preparing for open dayThis month John Taylor herd manager at 2014 NMRRABDF Gold Cup winners Worthy Farm in Somerset updates us on the latest news from the farm and open day preparations
GOLD CUP COMMENT
Well at last the weather seems to have turned a bit spring like It certainly makes
you feel goodmdasha bit of sun on your back Un-fortunately that means wersquore even busier all our slurry has been applied using an umbilical system but it still made a bit of a mess as our ground is pretty heavy in places Itrsquos only in the last couple of days that we have started chain harrowing and then we
mounted magnet Itrsquos always surprising what gets picked up by the magnet even on the sec-
a good roll with a very heavy roller We now have two tractor mounted magnets and since
virtually done away with hardware disease in the cows We also put two further magnets in all young stock when these are vaccinated at 12 to 13 months of age for service The next job will be to put all the dung on the maize ground Unfortunately we have had to reduce our maize average because of the three crops rule Usually we grow around 90 acres but we have had to reduce it to 75 acres As a third crop we planted 15 acres of red clover which we will big bale and then feed one to two kg per day per cow next winter instead of hay This means we shall probably have to buy an extra 20 to 25 acres of maize as hopefully cow numbers will be getting towards 450 by spring 2016 plus 350 youngstock We thought we had acquired another set of buildings for our youngstock but it fell through at the last minute This means we are bursting at the seams with young stock which is not ideal as you know what happens when you overstock sheds We have had quite a bit of pneumonia and tried vaccinating a couple of groups but the calves are getting it at a very young age so vaccinating didnrsquot really help 2015 certainly hasnrsquot been such a good year for us as 2014 The plan was to sell some youngstock if we got overstocked but then fate stepped in Irsquove never been a superstitious per-son so when the vets wanted to do the TB test on Friday 13th I said no problem We have never had a problem with TB only a few bought in
of cows in the race on the second day and low and behold one cow had a lump like an eggcup All the rest were perfectly clearmdashnot a pimple anywhere This was a cow that had been at Worthy all her life and did not go out to graze at all last year We have three setts of badgers on the farm but these have never caused us a problem be-
fore We have been a closed herd for two years now so where does it come from The one thing that bugs me is when we had bought in cows with itmdashthey didnrsquot look rightmdashwhereas this cow was 100 healthy We will have to wait until the next test I suppose So just when wersquore busting at the seams we have now been placed under movement restrictions just what we need before our open day The cows seem to have settled down again after their slight blip last month and are currently 37 to 38 litres We have had a couple of mad days with nine calvings which produced only two Friesian heifers one of which was twin to a bull We canrsquot moan really as we have had a lot of heifers calve over the last eight months We have enough maize to feed at 20kg per day all the way through the summer so hopefully this will help keep our milk more level throughout the year as we get a good bonus for staying within 10 of our base Fertility has been really good this winter although we seem to be getting a few more cystic cows that show up as non-bulling not the usual nympho cystic cows The bulling heifers seem the opposite they are not bulling any where near as strongly as last winter even though they are getting 10kg maize and 20kg of concentrates It seems to me that the Angus bull
next week when we PD the next group of 40 We have had a meeting this month with NMR and RABDF planning for the Gold Cup Open Day on Wednesday May 6th I canrsquot believe the planning that goes into this and all I hope is that the sun shines on us They have decided to change the format of the day from two hours of speeches in a marquee to a basic
based around the farmWe have decided to put up the
Pyramid Stage a few weeks early so you can walk on the famous Pyra-mid Stage and there are going to be a lot more food stations
Unfortunately Dolly Parton was not available so I understand NMRrsquos jazz band will be making an appearance We also suggested the Cider Bus makes an appearance but they did not seem too keen on that worried about drink driving
We look forward to welcoming you all to Worthy Farm and hope you enjoy the day Please donrsquot be afraid to ask me any questions Irsquom not a speaker but I do not mind answering questions We certainly have unique challenges here at Worthy but we all face challenges every day of our lives
bull RABDF has asked me to reminded you all to please pre-register for the Gold Cup Open Day at wwwrabdfcouk or call 0845 458 2711
The Worthy Farm dairy unit seen from the air during the Glastonbury Festival
John Taylor
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
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16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 15
World markets now seriously endangered by EuropeIn January and February it seemed that world and Eu-
ropean dairy markets had made a quick recovery from the deep recession of 2014 Sadly that has proved an illusion It now emerges that Fonterra sharply cut-
for a while but could not be sustained It is rumoured that Fonter-ramdashawash with record volumes of milk powdersmdashwere having
have come crashing down since then and the recovery of prices in
bearish factor in the world dairy commodity market is the end of EU milk quotasmdashas though this could not have been predicted
-pening before their eyes Latest forecasts put total super-levies for the last year of quotas at an all-time record euro750m EU milk pro-duction increased 55 in 2014 Poland was nearly 6 over quota
and France both under quota in recent years are increasing pro-
Boardrsquo groupsmdashseems to put two and two together more milk will -
prits they still gaily talk of a 50 increase in milk production but make no correlation with the likely impact on milk prices
with todayrsquos soaraway pound this equates to under 22ppl
-back If they donrsquot then thousands will be pushed out of business
never big fans of quotas but their obit asks ldquoWhat have quotas done for us Have they ensured that farmers had good milk prices
top 14 milk producing countries in Europe will in-
has been limited in most countries over the past 10
but many are taking the end of quotas as a signal to
-most all the extra 7bn-24bn litres will have to be exported the report concludes
Getting tough-
these daysmdashmilk buyers are getting increasingly tough with farm-
tactic of choice is to hammer resigning farmersmdashwho often still have to give 12 months noticemdashwith penalties that can be dra-
is likely that other milk buyers are adopting these tactics It is all basically down to contracts with some farmers failing to read the small print when times were good Some cases have already gone to
of Bath becoming involved with some cases already settled out of court But some farmers still getting used to the swift change from
-ers who signed up for some very generous special deals two years ago were served notice 12 months ago when they had expected
very generous to producers for a long time served notice on their
very tough but itrsquos what a number of milk buyers are now doing Last June Freshways called for 2015-16 contracts to be returned by
return contracts Freshways say half of these then applied to sign up again but were rejected Freshways say they now want to re-
their previous cheese company customers no longer want any milk
Better control better insulation amp better construction CUT WATER
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Slash your milk cooling costs
ldquoDairymaster was the only company that had a tank to suit my existing dairy - the selection of sizes and profi les of tanks were fantastic I have seen big savings on electric since installing the Dairymaster milk tankrdquoPeter Mason Coat Green Farm Cumbria UK
Milking - Feeding - Cooling - Manure Scrapers - Health amp Fertility Monitoring
Dairymaster UK Ltd Call 01527 878505 wwwdairymastercom E ukinfodairymastercom
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
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Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
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For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
16 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE
MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLEmdashFebruary 2015 Monthly Annual price average Price Average
Dairy Crestrsquos standard liquid milk contract price the milk price above
-
Milk prices are ranked according to the annual average price that
MILK PRICE CHANGESmdash2014-15
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
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SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 17
MILK PRICES
Milk Price changes
MarchCrediton Dairy down 150ppl Dairy Crest Davidstow down 150ppl Dairy Crest Liquid down 150ppl LactalisCaledonian down 081ppl Meadow Foods down 140ppl Muumlller Wiseman base liquid down 175ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 100ppl Wensleydale down 050ppl Wyke Farms down 100ppl
AprilAMCo Standard Liquid up 083ppl AMCo Standard Manufacturing up 079ppl Arla Milk Link Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Milk Link Northern Manufacturing up 083ppl Arla Sainsbury down 062ppl Dairy Crest Sainsbury down 062ppl Muumlller Wiseman Sainsbury down 062ppl Grahamrsquos Dairies down 125ppl LactalisCaledonian down 070ppl Meadow Foods down 026ppl Pattemores Dairy Ingredients down 175ppl
MayAll the Tesco contracts are cut by 108ppl MWD Co-op down 115ppl Wyke down 100ppl and South Caernarfon Creameries are up 125ppl
Arlarsquos swallow doesnrsquot make a summerArlarsquos 083ppl price increase for April while welcome is being seen as more of a ldquoone swallow doesnrsquot make a summerrdquo Most everyone else is still cutting and European and world commodity prices which had seemed to recover strongly in January and February suddenly did a reverse plum-met in March This has been seen as a reaction to attempts to manipulate the GDT auction late last year and attempts by Fonterra to convince the market that New Zealand milk production was at last moderating which it wasnrsquot although it has now with February milk production down more than 5 and (downunder) autumn production expected to fall sharply
level for eight years Analysts now see the biggest negative factor in the market being the end of European milk quotas and the likelihood of a massive increase in European milk production EU milk production was indeed up more than 5 in 2014 and many member states are now facing massive super-levy bills for 2014-15 It now looks as though the EU decision to allow farmers to pay super-levies for last year over three years was a disastrous mistake
and not a very promising start for a new commission facing the next dairy sector crisis European milk prices have now fallen fast but the sharp fall in the euro will give EU dairy sector exports a welcome boost Continental farmgate milk prices are now being somewhat unhealthily dictated by the deadly competition between the two giants Friesland-Campina (Netherlands) and Arla (Denmark) FC reacted swiftly to the market upturn in JanuaryFebruary by increasing their guaranteed price by 075ckg in February and by 25ckg in March to 340ckg All this time Arla had kept their price unchanged at 2985ckg But they now felt they had to respond to the FC price boost and raised their April price by 15c to 3135c on the basis of no market improvement at all it was on this unsound basis that Arla raised their UK prices The following week FC cut their April price by 075c On current market trends there seems to be no reason for milk prices to do anything other than to continue to fall But as we went to press another swallow arrived South Caernarfon Creameries increased their May milk price by 125pplmdashbut they warn that current market trends could lead to a quick reverse
wwwlelycom innovators in agriculture
Lely cows manage their own time
EVOLVE
LELY ASTRONAUT A4Our cows know exactly when its time to be milked Give your cows this trust and confidence and they will repay you with higher quality milk
For more information on the
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
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100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
18 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Early season management sets scene for the year
Over the coming grazing season British Dairying working with Promar International will be putting the spotlight on milk from grass working with farmers across the country to try and achieve top 25 performance from grazing This month Promar consultant Andrew Hawkins considers if the start of the season has been kind to dairy farmers
FORAGE EXCELLENCE
Talking to our contributor farmers across the country the
consensus is that it has been a slow start to the grazing season While most of them were budgeting on being out grazing by mid-March by Easter the majority were still housed Those who were out were producing less from grazing than they had budgeted
turn out was Martin Harvey who farms at Kingsteinton in Devon The 140 cows have been out by day for three weeks but are unlikely to be out by night for another week This time last year they were al-
ready out day and night Growth rates have fallen back and opening covers are around 2600kg to 2800kg DMha com-pared to closer to 3000kg DM
said the cows are milking well with average yields up one litreday While milk from forage is on target at 15 litres milking from grazing is just three litresday which is half the target set at the start of the season As soon as
be cut back In Sussex Lyncoln and Rachel
cover on 30th March was 1892kg DMha but had increased to over 2300kg DMha by 6th April cover suggesting a growth rate increase However covers are still down on last year when in early April cov-ers were over 2900kg DMha Most of our contributors were hoping to produce around 75 to 100 litres per cow from g r a z i n g d u r i n g March so will have to catch up over the next few months if season-long targets are to be achieved At least they have plenty of time to do so but will need to manage grass care-fully from now on While growth rates have taken a while to build grass quality is excellent with dry matter averaging close to 20 and ME levels close to 125MJmdashbetter
-tive now will be to manage grass to maintain both quality and quantity and to challenge cows to produce
As the weather warms up so growth is already showing signs of increasing and it will be vital to make sure the grass doesnrsquot get ahead of the cows And this means measuring grass growth Grass growth must be meas-ured regularly if the balance between supply and demand is to
-duction from grazing increased Growth rates can change rapidly
-ers across the grazing block By taking the time to walk the grazing block and assess growth you are in control of the feed ahead of the cows and can react as the season unfolds
When you know what is ahead of the cows you can calculate how long to spend on each paddock to achieve the rate of rotation and en-sure closing covers were achieved
paddocks out of the rotation if there is too much ahead of the
cows This will help maintain grazing quality Maintaining quality is one of the keys to achieving high intakes and this means keeping grass at the three leaf stage and main-taining palatability Tight grazing and eliminating back grazing are both essential to reduce spoilage and wast-age Back fencing
may be well worthwhile With good quality grass and growth rates set to build to a peak in the next few weeks it is time to challenge cows to drive up grazing intakes With an ample supply of palatable forage and with an analysis as good as many concen-trates there is a real opportunity to drive production with all our contributors targeting around 12 litres per cow per day from grazing during April with some looking for more than this The key to this will be encouraging the cows to be enthusiastic grazers by reducing
season will have a huge impact on the productivity of the entire season Lose milk from forage early in the season and you wonrsquot get it back Similarly it is vital to maintain grazing quality now oth-erwise quality quantity and palat-ability will all be compromised reducing yield from grazing for the whole season
It has been a slow start to the 2015 grazing season
IN-HEAT AND COW MOVEMENT TELEMETRY SYSTEM
Are your cows grazingToo busy to observe your heifers
Do
Superb highest resolution heat detection in real time
Easy to use ECO-Herd software works on any PC
5 year guarantee
Detailed lying and standing ratio for advanced health monitoring
Track a Cow features the smallest pedometer in the market a powerful antenna and a receiver
that collects data from a radius up to 2000m
Dairymac Limited
Hampshire
For a FREE demonstration or prompt quotation please contactJames
07872 161128salestrackacowcoukwwwtrackacowcouk
Track a Cow 247 Monitoring Anytime Anywhere
NEW wwwtrackacowcouk website
FREE PC
with 2 rdquo LED Monitor worth pound500 with all complete systems ordered by 310 1
See website for details
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
Wide rangeof crops
More profitability
More preserved proteins
Faster fermentation
Sil-All 4x4 +Drive your silage to better performance
New improved Sil-All 4x4+ all the proven benefits
Faster fermentation reduced DM losses
More preserved proteins more digestibility
Plus a new anti-fungal package for extra aerobic stability at feed out
Giving up to 5 more silage compared to untreated clamps
Driving down feed costs to improve your profitability
For more information or to contact your local distributor go to wwwsil-allcom
enquiriessil-allcom ndash wwwsil-allcom
copy s
hutt
erst
ock
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
20 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Farmers urged to think about water quality
Dairy and grassland farmers across the south west are being urged to help improve the quality of the UKrsquos rivers by working in partnership with their regional water company
WATER QUALITY
South West Water is prepar-ing for the latest phase of its
Upstream Thinking initiative a scheme involving a number of organisations that are working to-gether to restore raw water sources and keep them pollutant free The scheme has delivered more than pound90 million worth of
and now it is set to continue to
-owners and farmers informed it will assist in the protection of river catchments as part of a wider integrated approach to good land management In parallel with the initiative South West Water is embarking on
a grassland awareness campaign involving four water companies to
the use of herbicides in agriculture ldquoThe aim is for us to focus on education training and raising awareness among the farming
-
manager for South West Water ldquoThrough Upstream Thinking and our partner organisations we
them and helping them to create -
ing some funding for them It is all about helping them to improve
Wildlife Trust are participating in the Upstream Thinking scheme enabling the project to extend the
South West Water has invested pound360000 in the Upstream Thinking initiative to support farmers in the
-ering feeding sheds and improving
water treatment costs doubling or even tripling depending on the season and the amount of rainfall ldquoThe processes that are required to
You can add more treatment but Upstream Thinking is about im-
water before it even comes into the
leaved weeds forms part of the pollution problem While the use of herbicides is essential in agri-culture simple acts to minimise the likelihood of them reaching watercourses can make a big dif-
water
-
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
NEW for 2015
FEEDS SUCCESS
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 21
WATER QUALITY
to treat broad-leaved weeds in cereals and on agricultural grass-land MCPA which is also used to control broad-leaved weeds including thistle and dock in cereal crops and pasture also features highly in test samples taken from the regionrsquos waterways South West Water aims to use a variety of tools to tackle the is-sue including helping to secure funding for bio beds and sprayer calibration events The initiative will also focus on helping farmers to check that their equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately Other plans include encourag-
stop cattle going into the water concreting yards to contain any pollution and improving slurry facilities Farmers can also examine best practice enabling them to cut pollution and save money Every drop of chemical that ends up in
for a farmer Mr Jones points out that in just one second two noz-zles can deliver enough chemical to exceed the standard in 15 miles of water in a good-sized brook ldquoWe understand that the agri-cultural industry has to use herbi-cides in their work but once these chemicals reach watercourses they
Dairy cattle overlooking Drift Reservoir in Cornwall
to removerdquo he says ldquoWhen it comes to actually re-moving the chemicals there are no
bill can run into millions of pounds both to install and to maintain the systems Itrsquos important for those using herbicides to understand that even a tiny amount of her-bicide reaching a source used for drinking water will result in the consumer having to pay morerdquo South West Water currently uses GAC (granular activated car-
water treatment works and there are plans to install them at four
The systems are not just costly to install but annual maintenance can be many thousands of pounds a year ldquoIt makes perfect sense to try to work with the agricultural sec-
place We are working with the EA NFU Natural England and others to try to raise awareness ldquoPerhaps some farmers think that the odd spill or a tiny amount of herbicide wonrsquot do any damage but in reality the simple act of washing out a foil cap of a contain-er could carry enough chemical to be found 30km downstreamrdquo Mr Jones adds
Water quality factsThe drinking water standard for pesticides (EU) is 010ppb010ppbmdashparts per billionmdashis minute It is comparative tomdashOne second in 320 yearsmdashOne pence in pound100 millionmdashA grain of wheat in 390 tonnesmdashOne baked bean in 21 million cans of Heinz baked beansmdashOne stem of grass in 111000 20kg hay bales So that means very small amountsmdashand very minor spillsmdashcan have a massive effect on water quality
Better teat health
Goats milked comfortably
Faster milking
Innovative and high performance milking clusters giving you value for money
Contact us on 07775 648 197
wwwmilkritecouk
The fastest milking cluster on the market
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
IMAGO Ultrasound Scanner
FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
22 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Planning feeding for cowsA change in milk price does not alter a dairy cowrsquos requirement for nutrients or how she responds to a change in nutrient supply But milk price may well alter the way in which
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
With milk prices now lower
-
-
-
-
--
Early dry period
-
Transition
Early lactation
-
-
Mid lactation
-
Late lactation
-
Questions answered
I want more milk from grass
-
-
-
Table 1 Affect of cutting concentrates on medium input system6500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound1151 per cow margin6000 litres from 10 tonnes of concentrates pound1114 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound65Loss in milk income pound110Affect of cutting concentrates on high input system9500 litres from 38 tonnes of concentrates pound1273 per cow margin8500 litres from 30 tonnes of concentrates pound1230 per cow marginSaving in purchased feed cost pound172Loss in milk income pound220
Are You Getting The Whole Farm Package
High quality compound feed and blends All formulated by our in-house nutritionists
Ration formulation amp feed planning Using Dietcheck rationing software we can work with you to get the most out of your ration
Silage SamplingWhether itrsquos grass maize or wholecrop our team can get it sampled making the most out of home-grown forage
Dairy Costings We work closely with Kingshay to provide a comprehensive costings service
Interherd + We can provide full herd performance analysis through our Interherd+ software detailing everything about your herd
FarmersEmail us at enquiriescountrywidefarmerscoukCountrywide Farmers plc Countrywide House Asparagus Way Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1GN
0800 432 0466For more information please call
At Countrywide Farmers we focus on whatrsquos best for you providing the most comprehensive on farm service
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 23
Jimmy Goldie
of 1500 but milk yield per cow per day can be compromised If excess body condition is lost
risk of reducing fertility which will have a knock
I want to decrease feed rateReducing feed inputs to reduce purchased feed costs runs a real risk of reducing income faster than feed costs are savedmdashif these cuts are made too drastically in early and mid lactation It is possible but the forage component of the diet then becomes more important and quality and intakes need to be monitored closely
-cantly less than this for B volume litres it can still pay to maintain production although these
into account the savings in costs labour and time if for example the mixer wagon is parked up for a couple of months
I want to maximise milk from forageIf the farm system is not already established as an intensive pasture based system maximising milk from conserved forage may be a better area of focus Optimising forage quality and quantity starts in early season from fertiliser lime and slurry applications through to cutting time of 1st cut silage It may mean introducing a second forage such as whole crop red clover maize silage or lucerne Achieving high dry matter intakes of forage is dependent on the quality of the forage and careful supplementation At high feed rates there may be opportunity to reduce feed levels and replace the nutrients with good quality foragemdashtarget the mid and late lactation cows
I want more milk or do not want milk yields to dropOn a low input pasture based system with spring calving cows there is usually a good milk yield response to feeding additional con-centrates One kg of additional concentrate could yield up to two litres of additional milk assuming grass quality and intake are not com-
on 22p per litre Admittedly the price paid for high volumes of spring milk may be less but these cows will continue to give more milk in the higher value late summerautumn A grass only based diet in spring can sup-port peak yields without excessive weight loss up to 35 litres assuming 80kg cake in the
required There are many herds producing around 8500kg milk per annum where there is a lot of discussion at the moment as to whether to cut some or all of the
-sibly lose some yield and composi-tion versus the savings on feed fuel repairs and time The lower the milk price the greater the incen-tive This is a very individual deci-sion Purchased feed costs are typically 30-35 of total costs on most dairy farms Changing to a low input system means all costs
This does not mean to say that there are no opportunities to tactically cut feed wastage and maintain yieldsmdashfor example by dropping the M+ of the base PMR and target feeding cake to
cows that will respond and challenge later lacta-tion cows perhaps a little harder than you may have done in the past especially if grass supply is good
In addition with high D value high protein grass coming into a diet there is an opportunity to reformulate the supplementary concentrate and cut costs especially degradable protein supply which is so often oversupplied when cows are at grass
In the UK we have prob-ably the widest variety of feeding systems and range in milk prices compared to any other country in the world Whether it is right
to feed more or less concentrates is a decision unique to each farm depending on the current system and performance level calving pattern days in milk forage quality and availability genetics and milk to feed price ratio
Table 2 Affect of increasing concentrates on low input system4500 litres from 07 tonnes of concentrates pound845 per cow margin5500 litres from 13 tonnes of concentrates pound914 per cow in marginAdditional feed cost pound150Additional milk income pound220
PLANNING FEEDING SYSTEMS
For proven protection when it matters most
Seal in your profits with
650 mgg bismuth subnitrate
Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner Manufactured and distributed in NI by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd Station Works Newry Co Down BT35 6JP Distributed in GB by Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd 1 Saxon Way East Oakley Hay Industrial Estate Corby NN18 9EXLegal Category POM-V Each 4g NoroSealreg 26g Intramammary Suspension for Cattle syringe contains Bismuth subnitrate heavy 26g 3251-LA(C)-v2-UK-010415
Now with orange plungers to avoid
confusion with antibiotic tubes
Safety nozzle to prevent damage and
ensure correct placement in teat canal
We are currently milking about 100 Brown
Swiss cows The milk is sold predominately
for cheese production but some for fresh
milk Cell counts are low at 120000 and
mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases
for last year which is particularly important
for cheese production We put this down
to attention to detail at drying off which
is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along
with a good dry cow antibiotic tube
We have been using NoroSeal for about
18 months and we find it is easy to use
We would happily recommend the use of
NoroSeal to other dairy farmers
Paul ThorneHerd Manager
JF Temple and son
Norfolk
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
your livestock
wwwnwfagriculturecoukNWFAgriculture
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
24 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Boosting forage yield and quality
BIOSTIMULANTS
F
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Untreated grass (left) and grass treated with Soil Set Aid (right)
PENNANT FINANCESpecialist Agricultural Finance Broker
Are you unhappy with your existing bank
Are you paying more than 15 over base on your mortgage
loans or overdraft
Are you looking to save money on your finance costs
Are you looking for an additional borrowing facilityIf so contact Haydn Jones
01492 580202 07768 025440Haydn Vaughan Jones TA Pennant Finance
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
IMAGO Ultrasound Scanner
FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
Dairymac Bray Breeding Calendar 40 years of service and production recently acquired by Dairymac Full range of numbered magnets 1-1000
AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
To find out how SCR technology can help your business call us today onUK 07833 470069Ireland +44 7876 889917
scrdairycom
UK OFFICES NOW OPEN
New calving
distress alertSCR Heatimereg HR LD System
Health Monitoring amp Reproduction
TRADE IN PLAN NOW AVAILABLE SAVE when you upgrade your SCR Heatimereg Classic System - ask for details
HEAT DETECTION RUMINATION NUTRITION EARLY ILLNESS DETECTION
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
26 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
Careful monitoring of phosphorus levels in grassland can boost yields by up to 12 research by GrowHow reveals Even at soil index 2 main-
increase in yield ldquoSome people seeing a soil index of 2 may be tempted to skip phos-phorus applications and think it wonrsquot cause a big loss in yieldrdquo says the
to apply phosphorus means farmers could see a reduction in silage yieldrdquo Trials took place at Reaseheath College in 2014 and examined a three-cut system taken in May July and September All grass received
rates of phosphorus were used 0 80 or 120 kgha of P2O5 evenly split and applied at the same time as the nitrogen ldquoResults from the trials are quite straightforwardmdashat index 2 there
and added together the application of 80 kgha P2O5 resulted in an extra 124 tonnes DMha being available to feed livestock an increase of 12
-
show that most farmers can reduce their feed bill by getting phosphorus applications spot on even at soil index 2rdquo For example for silage containing 115 MJ MEkg DM an extra 124t of silage dry matter delivers 14260 MJ of ME ldquoYou wonrsquot use all of thisrdquo
expect 85 to be available which is around 12000 MJ ME
(Tel 0151 357 5758)
Under pressure grassland farm-ers should be wary of reduc-
ing fertiliser use as a means of sav-
Understandably many will be looking to cut costs on the back of falling milk prices but cutting potash for example could be a
Robson from grassland fertiliser supplier ACT He points out that while ni-trogen is seen as the key input to drive up grass yields without a correct balance of potassium and
-
ldquoIndustry data from the Pro-fessional Agricultural Analysis
of UK grassland is at below opti-mum soil index of 2 for potashrdquo he says
that over the last thirty years the amount of potash used in relation to nitrogen (NK ratio) has halved
Any further downward trend in this direction would be worryingrdquo
out that grassland farmers should also remember that slurry and farmyard manuremdasheven if sup-ported by bagged nitrogenmdashwonrsquot
needed nutrients either ldquoIt is almost as if we have forgotten just
how important potash is relying instead on bagged nitrogen to do the job on its ownrdquo he says Andrew Watson of fertiliser specialists K+S UK amp Eire backs
He points to trials at Rothamsted Experimental Station where almost 80 of applied nitrogen on potash rich soils is used by the crop but
when the K-index falls to zero al-most half of the used N is wasted ldquoWhatever your circumstances take account of soil and herbage analyses and carefully weigh up the pros and cons but donrsquot expect nitrogen alone to meet grassland forage needsrdquo says Mr Watson He suggests that most at risk are sandy soils where potash is poorly held as well as where big cuts of silage are expected or have been taken in the past resulting
these havenrsquot been replaced on a regular basis or growers have relied on manure which typically gives an uneven application of nutrients and at only very low lev-els then ignoring potash needs for another season could be costlyrdquo Mr Watson says that farm-ers should dig out their latest soil analyses data or get soils re-checked to assess indices Tissue analysis of the grass can also aid management decisions (Tel 0800 0322480)
Balancing nitrogen and potash applications
Phosphorus boosts yields
Calf Hutches - Deluxe SL Calf Hutch amp Group Calf Hutch
TEEMORE ENGINEERING LTDLIVESTOCK HOUSING SPECIALISTS
wwwteemoreengineeringcom
For a full brochure call 028 6774 8377
calf hutch with detachable pen
rear doors
group hutch with detachable pen
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
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For more information ask your local
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Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 27
FORAGE NEWS
Supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected fat through-
out the grazing season can deliver an approximate 21 return accord-ing to research findings from the Tasmanian Institute of Agri-culturersquos Dairy Research Centre where a trial was carried out in a low input grass-based system simi-lar to those in the UK Cows fed the fat supplement recorded a 7 improved yield while maintaining high levels of fertility The trial featured 150 Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows split into two groups and allocated to one of two diets from 20 to 220 days in milkmdash
day standard concentrate or the -
alac rumen-protected fat Both
which varied according to weather conditions
-
increase compared to the control group This indicates that lower
more milk even through late lacta-tion while maintaining high levels
supplement produced more milk right through the 200-day feeding
milk production
month after the supplement had been withdrawn from the dietmdashthese cows continued to produce
ldquoFertility was high in both groups The average pregnancy rate at the end of the study was
-plement maintained high fertility levels despite producing higher
Richard Kirkland adds ldquoWith an -
are particularly timely for UK pro-ducers focused on making more from grazed grass from turnout onwards in their quest to improve
Production performance of control and Megalac supplemented cows
Control Megalac
Milk yield (kgd) 217 230
Total lactation milk yield (kg) 5061 5410
Supplementing grass with protected fat
Keeping silage cooler for longer
Genus Breeding Ltd Alpha Building London Road Nantwich CW5 7JW
wwwgenusbreedingcouk
POWERSTART reg
Maximise your return on investment from your dairy herd with the latest innovation from the POWERSTART
silage additive rangeNew unique combination of bacteria and preservative inhibits yeasts and moulds keeping silage cooler for longerSuper fast fermentationImproved palatabilityIncreased dry matter intakeMore milk productionBetter fertility ndash shorter calving interval by 10 days59 fewer dry matter losses ndash more silage to feed
Contact your local Genus ABS representative or call 0870 162 2000 for more information about POWERSTART Xtra
NEW FOR 2015
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
28 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
FORAGE NEWS
New broad spectrum grassland herbicideDow AgroSciences is introducing a new improved formulation of its broad-spectrum herbicide Pastor called PastorPro It will join DoxstarPro and GrazonPro in the companyrsquos portfolio of grassland products PastorPro controls the three main perennial weeds that grow in grassmdashdocks nettles and thistles as well as many annual weeds such as chickweed cleavers and mayweed ldquoPastorPro contains three active ingredients which give it a much wider scope of action than most other broad-spectrum herbicidesrdquo explains Andy Bailey grassland agronomy specialist with Dow AgroSciences ldquoTriclopyr gives good long-term control of both broad-leaved and curled docks while clopyralid adds excellent performance against creeping and spear thistles It is also very good against common nettlerdquo Mr Bailey adds ldquoIt is an excellent tool for extending the life of a ley by clearing up weedy pastures and allowing the grass to yield to its full potential
stock only has to be removed for seven days It is very safe to grass and wonrsquot hold back growth after it has been appliedrdquo (Tel 0800 689 8899)
Relaunch of Buctril to tackle broad-leaved weeds
Bayer CropScience has relaunched Buctril to give maize and cereal farm-ers another tool to deal with broad-leaved weeds
world thanks to its low resistance risk against certain key broad-leaved weeds Its active substance is bromoxynil which is part of the HBN group of chemicals Buctril replaces Bayerrsquos Oxytril CM which is being withdrawn be-cause its active substancemdashioxynil which is also a HBN chemicalmdashwill no longer be approved in the EU ldquoOxytril CM is still on sale until August so we expect most cereal
Science ldquoBromoxynil is a similar type of active to ioxynil so farmers using Buctril will still get good control of poppy and mayweed which are some of the most common broad-leaved weeds to develop herbicide
Yara has launched their Grass Prix
Ireland Now in its second year the competition will again focus on optimal grass nutrition and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season The winner will be the farm that produces the highest Metabo-
over two cuts of silage Competition entrants last year
The dairy farmer entrants this year includebull Elgan Evans from Llanrwst North Wales
bull Robert Tilly from Penzance Cornwallbull Tom and Simon Browne from County Cork Republic of Ireland
bull Willie Watson from Ayrshire south west Scotland
bull Alan Wallace from County Antrim Northern Ireland
dairy farmer Willie Watson lsquotook
title this year
role in growing grass successfully
Wardman Grass Prix Organiser
analysis taught us that there is no lsquoone size fits allrsquo recommenda-tionmdashso each farm indeed each
managed accordingly ldquoFor Mr Watson a dairy
litres a year having grass silage
ha (compared to brewersrsquo grains
ldquoGrass and silage analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants
on the important lessons learnt in
ldquoCurrently grass yields in the
of dry matter which is on aver-age less than half of its biological potential One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen fertilizer Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more
For more information visit
Race on for highest energy yield of grass silage
ldquoSince switching to Optimize additive eight years ago our silage is more stable because of the big reduction in the amount of wastage caused by secondary fermentationrdquo Steve Kearle Worthy Farm lsquoGold Cup Winnerrsquo Somerset
Find out more Call 01772 860085 or go to wwwenvirosystemscouk
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
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Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 29
Forage Crops Trial Results published by Limagrain
more recently introduced varieties Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results publication that has cumulative trial data from the past
reduced dirt tare in varieties with newer genetics Particularly impressive is Robbos a variety that has particularly high dry matter yields The data shows that Robbos has a dry matter yield 7 higher than the control variety Kyros which amounts to an additional 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare Robbos also has one of the lowest dirt tare scores among the 11 varieties in the trial and it has the largest leaf size which allows for easier harvesting with leaf lifting machinery ldquoThese features of Robbos bring two advantagesrdquo says Limagrain forage crop specialist Martin Titley ldquoThe large leaf can provide additional valuable feed and the low dirt stare reduces the risk of soil contamination and milk taint
time fodder beet growers as it is robust and produces consistent yields ldquoOverall the trial data shows that fodder beet is an ideal choice of crop for livestock producers and especially for dairy producers who are looking to reduce their costs of production and maximise milk yields from home grown foragesrdquo says Mr Titley ldquoYielding around 90 tonnes per hectare this energy rich feed is an ideal complement to maize silage in that it can balance out the high starch content of the silage and it can also help to reduce the reliance on bought in feedsrdquo Limagrainrsquos latest Forage Crops Trial Results 2015 booklet is available from Emily Short on 01472 370117
New grassland service
Mole Valley Farmers have launched a new Grassland Agron-omy Service to help producers maximise grassland efficiencies and productivity The service has been devel-oped to compliment the com-panyrsquos existing crop nutrition and management services to provide farmers with a whole farm ap-proach to grassland management As part of the package de-veloped in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences and Agrovista pro-ducers will be able to draw on the advice of a network of Mole Valley
-mists Mole Valley Forage Servicersquos agronomist Mark Shaw says the aim as a farmer owned business is to provide the support service and expertise needed to help farmers get the most from grass by treat-ing it as a crop ldquoMost farmers wouldnrsquot dream of growing other crops without getting vital support to maximise its potentialrdquo he says The Grassland Agronomy
-
soil management to seed selection fertiliser choice agronomy and ensiling Mark also stresses that the team is committed to giving general agronomic management advice rather than just being fo-cused on selling product ldquoItrsquos important to think about cultural and chemical control of weeds so we will walk the farm look at weed burdens around
management advice We can then suggest the most suitable chemical
(Tel 01769 576405)
A new silage inoculant that re-duces aerobic spoilage while main-taining silage feed value has been launched by Genus ABS Powerstart Xtra combines the proven fermentation qualities of Powerstart Instant with a pre-servative which helps inhibit the moulds and yeast responsible for aerobic spoilage ldquoAerobic spoilage and feed
-ing many farmsrdquo comments Paul Nunn from Genus ABS ldquoIt is commonly an issue at feed out when clamps are opened but is
dry matter silages with high quality forages and where clamps are opened too soon after harvest before a stable fermentation has been completed It results in the feed heating up in both the clamp and trough leading to dry matter losses and reduced feed valuerdquo Mr Nunn explains that aerobic spoilage is caused by the actions of yeasts and moulds present on the feed Many approaches have been attempted to reduce these problems in the past and while they have been successful to vary-ing degrees the downside is that there has also been a reduction in feed quality Powerstart Xtra combines the unique proven bacterium L Plan-
-ganic citrate a preservative which when combined with the bacteria produces inhibitors during the fermentation of the grass which subsequently reduce the activity of moulds and yeast ldquoCitrate is found in higher concentrations in lucerne silage
which is known to be less prone to aerobic spoiling The inclusion of citrate in Powerstart Xtra gives farmers the proven quality fermen-tation they are used to combined with a significant reduction in aerobic spoilagerdquo
-cantly longer to heat up ldquoWhile
the control silage which was preserved with Powerstart Instant heated to 3degC above ambient tem-perature in under two days silage treated with Powerstart Xtra took over four days to reach the same temperature so reducing wast-age and maintaining feed value and palatabilityldquo adds Mr Nunn (Tel 0870 162 2000)
FORAGE NEWS
Inoculant cuts aerobic spoilage
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
wwwsilostopcom infosilostopcom
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR FEED
SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
KEEP OXYGEN OUT AND NUTRIENTS IN
Richard Pottow Dairy Farmer UK
wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
30 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Attention to maize management detail drives high milk yields
With a 65 maize-based ration driving milk yields of over 10000kg per year from 750 cows sound management of the crop from seedbed to feeding is a critical part of business strategy for the Biddesden House Farm Partnership based at Druids Lodge Estate near Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire
MILK FROM MAIZE
The Druids herd of pedigree Holsteins relies on maize 365 days a year to fuel its
exceptional output says dairy manager James Coverdale ldquoMaize is absolutely at the core of our production philosophy and maximising energy output from every hectare is key ldquoGetting all steps of the processmdashfrom the varieties we use through to how we grow them
absolutely essentialrdquo Their approach certainly seems to be workingmdasha combination of good growing con-ditions and careful husbandry resulted in the total maize crop in 2014 being nearly 25 more than in previous years ldquoWe would usually aim to produce around 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare but last year this was closer to 15tha Quality was good toordquo
Dairy herd management
The herd itself is made up of 600 pedigree black and whites and 150 red and white cows which are all run together as a single unit Feeding takes place twice a day in the form of a single TMR for all cows and the herd is milked three times a day All replacements are bred on farm with heif-ers taken to calving at around two to two and a quarter years of age Bull and beef calves are sold at 40 days of age Current annual milk yield is 10500kg at 37 butterfat and 32 protein As well as the dairy herd the estate has a 1000 hectares of combinable crops and a com-mercial shoot so the 200ha of maize has to work in with these enterprises With predominantly thin chalky top soils
to be made in the maize production year The estatersquos arable manager Mike Dograll works with James to work out the best cultiva-tion and fertiliser strategy for the maize
James explains ldquoWe try and keep our cul-tivations fairly simple so as not to damage the structure of the soil too much We use a lot of farm yard manure (FYM) and this is ploughed in before the maize is drilled But we donrsquot use any power harrows or carry out any subsoilingrdquo Despite having a fairly southern location land rises to 110m above sea level and with energy yield being the ultimate goal group 8 and 9 varieties tend be the ones that work best ldquoWersquove learned over the years that going for an earlier variety rather than an out and out high yielder works best for us It means we get good yields but importantly we get a crop that
we get the most starch and energy production possiblerdquo
year to give balance to the cropping with some staying in the plan for several years if they per-
form well But keeping an eye out for potential rising stars is important too explains estate manager John Elliot ldquoWersquore looking for consistencyrdquo he says ldquoIncreasingly wersquore moving towards early varieties that can deliver the sort of yields that historically would only be possible with later maturing varieties ldquoES Bodyguard from Hubbards Seeds is one variety that has really interested us recently and
dry matter per hectaremdasharound 10 more than the whole farm average in what was a very high output year anywayrdquo James Coverdale says the quality was high too with an ME of 119MJkg DM and a starch content of 301 ldquoThe crop was har-vested at around 35 DM so if the yield is corrected to 30 DM that 163tha DM yield would be approaching 19tha DM which is
Druids Lodge Estate arable manager Mike Dograll with dairy manager James Coverdale
01270 616816Used by farmers tanker drivers and processors ndash the dairy industryrsquos favourite antibiotic milk test
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 31
exceptional for hererdquo Furthermore the Bodyguard was drilled quite late on the 30th April at 107000 seedsha on north facing land but despite this was harvested on time on 28th September adding
-tions The crop established well with very little management intervention required James Coverdale reports ldquoWe used 125kgha of DAP fertiliser at drilling which with the FYM gave a total of 128kg Nha and that was itrdquo The maize is fed with lucerne to give a forage base of 15kgcowday of lucerne and
MILK FROM MAIZE
24kgcowday of maize by freshweight This is complemented by 90kgcowday of a blend made up of rape soya palm kernel and miner-als The year-round calving herd is fed a single TMR with only one kgcowday of cake fed as an appetiser in the parlour
-proach We only have a limited amount for
silage for the winter The TMR is fed all year round and the only other feed we use is a little bit of caustic treated wheatrdquo Maize will continue to lie at the heart of the Druids milk production approach in the years to come James Coverdale says ldquoWe have a good system in place here and have learned a lot over the years particularly with regard to how to get the best out of high production Holsteins Good quality forage is the key and that means growing and feeding as much high energy maize as you canrdquo
The cows at Druids Lodge average 10500kg per year at 37 butterfat and 32 protein
Last yearrsquos maize crop had a dry matter of 35 energy 119MJkg DM and 301 starch
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SILOSTOPrsquos unique patented composition is scientifi cally proven to stop at least 100 times more oxygen than conventional PE plastic
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wwwsilostopcominfosilostopcom0203 6965760
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
32 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cash in on grassmdashor squander an opportunity
Hugh Kerr Keenan International nutrition director suggests that milk producers need to
buffer feeding on cow rumen function and milk production
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
Exciting times abound and after 31 years the EU Quota regime
has disappeared and our mind-set has to shift from managing quota to managing milk contracts As with all changes opportunities are created but exploiting them is often a more complex process With all the changes taking place in the industry it is important that we do not neglect the business coremdashthe cowmdashand remember that todayrsquos actions will have long-
and future performance Cows are not like a water tap
turned on when circumstances change so it is vital we take a
lactation view rather than a snap decision that might jeopardise future business potential The financial pressures the milk production business is cur-
managed but the longer term implications of present decisions have to be considered With this in mind producers
-tions to consider1 How can I use my best and cheapest feedmdashgrass2 How can I reduce my milk production costs3 To supplementary feed or not to feedmdashthat is the question (with apologies to Shakespeare)
4 How to feed5 What to feed Each farm needs to go through this process for their own business and the solutions need to be well considered Getting some good supportive independent advice could be very important Easy to talk about but more taxing to achieve are the basics of bull Having enough Measuring and monitoring grass is vitalbull Having the best quality to match the quantitybull Getting enough grass into the cowmdashbut this is the stage where most producers stopbull Helping the cow to utilise the grass consumed This is the miss-
ing link in most grass discussions Measuring and monitoring grass production is important but transforming into saleable milk is the understated elephant in the room We need to move from ldquocounting grass measuresrdquo to ldquomaking grass countrdquo How many of us waste a whole lot of nutrients because we donrsquot give the cow enough time or help to turn good grass into good milk We often see cows at grass producing runny manuremdashbut this highlights wasted potential
Grass retention time in the rumen is vital along with nutrient balance and cow chewing time
Livestock Housing Equipment
t 01477 544551 m 07711 259286 eenquiriesdavidrbeechcom wwwdavidrbeechcom
Spinderfor comfort in dairy
PO Box 22 9280 AA HarkemaThe NetherlandsTel +31-512 - 36 91 73Fax +31-512 - 36 91 70wwwspindernlinfospindernl
Optimal resting comfort due to careful design Durability due to the suspended construction Quick and easy to install All the right dimensions are available Allows for all types of matting materials
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 33
SUPPLEMENTING GRASS
The physical form of the feed is probably more important at this time of year than any other As-suming the cow has grazed the grass which has been well meas-ured and managed for optimum quality it needs help on two main frontsbull The chemistry which is chang-ing throughout the growing sea-son needs constant balancing from week to weekbull The quantity needs managing and excesses and shortfalls man-aged as they arise Along with both of these vari-ables we need something to slow down feed passage and stimulate rumination We must also make sure that we are not substituting good grass with expensive feed or speeding the rate of passage through the cow with small parti-cle feeds that have no
rumen retention time or stimulating cud chewing A small amount of tactical for-
diet may unlock the real potential
A simple and typical grass enhancer diet would look like thisSilage 60Molasses 7 Energy blend (no fillers) 30Straw 3 This cheap mix can be fed at variable levels to allow for grass availability weather conditions and farm operation restrictions It does not need to be complex
this type of mix could be saving
around pound60 per tonne equivalent on normal dairy supplements The easy option is to let grass take its course and deal with the results later in the season But I am trying to get producers to get beyond this and contemplate man-aging the situation in an attempt to secure the longer term business
Where milk solids are im-portant and regular milk supply are elements of your current and future milk price I know there is a lot of scope for grass to help the dairy business ride the current challenges we are facing
The importance of these as indicators of energy status and rumen function are becoming more and more understood and as cow indicators they can be a very useful management tool
Maintaining milk fats and proteins can be a challenge when
dealing with grass but by using some of the experience we have gained over the past 30 years there are some key feeds that will drive milk solids to help enhance a poor milk price Enabling the rumen to func-tion and allowing the cow to oper-ate in a healthy normal way will be the best way to stimulate milk of the right quality to best match your milk contract Where we are presented with a good cheap feed in abundant sup-ply we should not squander the opportunity or restrict our poten-tial to optimise our milk contracts by short-term feeding decisions
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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Callfor FREE
36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
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For more information ask your local
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check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
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Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
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m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
34 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Correct variety choice vitalGrowing quality maize has been a key element of the farming system at Hanmer Mill Farm near Whitchurch in Shropshire for over 20 years where paying close attention to variety choice is helping boost milk production from forage
MANAGING MAIZE
Jonathan Scott farms with his wife Emma and his parents Da-
vid and Pauline at the 180-hectare farm which is home to a 280 head
of Holstein x Fleckvieh cows Like all dairy farmers the Scotts are keeping a tight rein on costs but will not be compromising on for-age costs as high yields of quality forage are central to their system The herd averages 9000 litres at 43 fat and 365 protein Feed rate is 031kgl with 3200 litres of milk from forage They have been buying in the Fleckvieh cross cows for just under four years as they were looking for a cow that was durable easier to look after and would combine good yields and milk quality with better calf and cull cow prices
ldquoWe also needed a cow that would make full use of foragerdquo
Jonathan explains ldquoThe Fleckvieh crosses eat more forage and milk from forage and margins have increased as a resultrdquo The herd is run as two milking groups in the winter and all cows
with maize and grass silage and a blend In the winter they are TMR fed diets based on maize and grass silage and a blend with dairy cake in the parlour Jonathan is keen to try and feed maize all year round as he says it is the ideal complement for grass and keeps cows milking ldquoThe farm is well suited to maize being good light land but it is important to select which
-
rieties carefully We usually follow some of the maize with forage rye to give us an early bite and get the cows out sooner It also helps re-
This means we have to go for early maize varietiesrdquo Jonathan typically looks to grow a number of varieties each year selected to allow early matu-rity a good yield and high starch and ME levels He stresses the importance of producing a quality feed as opposed to just going for yield
Adding value to crop
A recent Kingshay report demon-
pointing out that careful variety selection can increase the value of the crop by pound400ha due to better feed quality The report stresses the importance of selecting varie-ties on a balance of criteria and of considering new varieties Jonathan Scott works with Sion Price of BCW Agriculture to deter-mine the best mix of most suitable varieties for his requirements ldquoNormally we will look to grow two tried and tested varieties we have used before and know will perform to ensure we get the production we requirerdquo Mr Price explains ldquoThen we will try one promising new variety ldquoLast year we decided to grow
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
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NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 35
time as it had looked very promising in trials and we thought it would work well on the
-cant proportion but in the end settled on eight hectares of it and 20ha each of two varieties he has grown successfully in the past However the Glory performed so well that in a change from his normal practice he will be growing it exclusively this year ldquoOnce the varieties are selected it is vital to focus on growing the best possible croprdquo The maize was all drilled between 18th and 20th April and Jonathan Scott believes good establishment is critical and will only contem-plate drilling when the land is ready Fields are sub-soiled to 40cm and ploughed to 22cm before
being power harrowed and drilled at 112000 seedshectare ldquoThe deeper ploughing really helps in our experience The roots develop better and the crop will really get awayrdquo says Jonathan ldquoOnce the crop starts growing it keeps growing as the roots push down Strong early growth can help reduce competition from weeds allowing us to save on herbicidesrdquo Organic manures are applied before plough-ing with nitrogen and sulphur applied to the seed bed and Di-ammonium phosphate down the spout ldquoMaize is cheap to grow if you grow it properlyrdquo Jonathan emphasises ldquoAt 50tha it
only got 37tha the economics would not be as good So we really focus on growing the best crop we can know-ing the varieties cho-sen should give us the combination of yield and quality we needrdquo The crops were harvested in early October with the Glory being taken two weeks earlier than the other varie-
were harvested with the Glory having the highest freshweight yield averaging 57tha This tonnage meant the high yields could be
fed a diet comprising 60 maize and 40 grass while the lower yielding group were fed 5050 maize and grass During the summer Jonathan will use maize to balance grazing intakes and expects to be feeding 15kg maize at the start of the season building to 20 to 25kg at the end of the summer
ldquoThe Glory analysed really well at 34 DM 115 ME and 34 starch We usually see a response in yield when maize has been in the clamp three months and starch degradability has increased but this year we also saw an extra litre per cow when we changed varieties to Glory in the diet ldquoBy paying close attention to variety selec-tion and then focussing on growing the best crop we can forage maize will continue to be a core element of our system and help us control production costs while still doing the best we can for the cowsrdquo concludes Jonathan
Maize is the primary forage for the Holstein Flechveih cross cows
Jonathan Scott aims to make full use of forage
MANAGING MAIZE
NEW Silage Additive
Call 0800 756 2787
NWF Sila-Guard 40 Quattro is a new silage additive for 2015 featuring an updated and improved formula to produce high quality silage with a
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36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
36 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Considerations for herd expansion
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY CONFERENCE
Times may be tough but despite this expansion will still be on
the minds of many milk producers But what should be considered before taking the decision to go ahead or not That was the question posed and answered by Kitersquos Edward
Conference using the success story -
had grown at 11 year on year since 2002 but like many others elsewhere has come to another crossroads Buildings are currently at capacity at 400 cows and the
stop expanding or grow to 650
Should any expansion be progres-
big steps Or should they not expand cow numbers at all and
in land instead
-
Lott Adding 400 cows would re-quire around pound3000 per cow place
should be the target and to pro-
the cost of the expansion would it
cow of debt he questioned Cur-
per cow
-ing return on limited capital and by understanding the cost struc-ture of the business he explained
-
Questions to ask to assess the suitability for expansion include
Benchmarking with similar farms was one of the most powerful disciplines any farm could do to
pondering whether to expand were to
-
bull Understand your own costs
Philip Halhead
Tin the dairy industry ldquois the
-
the US recently thanks to a Tesco
manage people as well as cows in the future but they are generally
donrsquot consider running a large
-cluding the ability to delegate and
and humility and the grace to
Learn to delegate
ldquoA large dairy farmer has to learn
when ldquoAir traffic controllers concentrate on landing the next
he said ldquoThink what is your next
-
sion to turn into action and action
-
the business leader wanted to
-ber of a team ldquoBefore you become a successful leader success is about growing yourself When you are a leader success is about growing
protocols for farm tasks that would be the single biggest win that del-egates could take away from the
And the ability to say thank
-
celebrate with the team if goals
Staff management skills will be key in the future
Kitersquos Edward Lott
Attention
Want to find out more
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
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Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
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The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
You can help stop mastitis preying on your hard-earned
PROFITS
Use the online calculator at wwwmastitiscalculatorcom to calculate the savings yoursquod make by adopting a groundbreaking new treatment plan
Advice on the use of Metacam or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Metacam contains meloxicam UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Aug 2013 AHD 7787 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible) wwwmastitiscoukproductsmetacam
Long-acting treatmentLonger-life milkers
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
38 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Is your parlour milking your businessNo machine on any dairy farm is expected to work as hard as a milking parlour and Richard Hooson milking systems business manager with Promar suggests that a small
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
At least twice a day 365 days a year the parlour is expected to
without compromising cow health and welfare Richard Hooson points out ldquoThat is a big ask and I know of no other industry were a machine is put under such demands Even nuclear power sta-tions have down time and airliners undergo routine major servicing but the parlour is expected to keep on goingrdquo
and routine will reduce time actu-ally spent in the parlour keeping the cows away from feed and water for the shortest possible time and potentially reducing costs And Mr Hooson says tak-ing the time to regularly assess machine operation to identify and correct problems can be a valuable
investment ldquoIf the average dairy farmer
parlour then a 5 improvement
15 minutes a day This may not sound much but it adds up to over 90 hours a year However it
are not achieved at the expense of cow health
Parlour benchmarks
ldquoThe starting point to improving
efficient you are now and this means having some benchmarks in place Some possible benchmarks
include how much milk is actually extracted with a target of 55 litres per stall per hour measured from
A recent survey of customers of the Promar Milking Machine Testing Service showed an average of just 35 litres per stall per hour suggest-
ing there was considerable scope to reduce milking timesrdquo Mr Hooson says another meas-ure would be how quickly cows enter and exit the parlour The best
With 160 cows averaging 10000 litres an increase in teat end damage was a major concern to Gloucestershire farmer Neil Robinson but a dynamic
the problem quickly ldquoA number of things lead me to think about a dynamic testrdquo Mr Robinson comments ldquoPhil Sadler who is the main milker on the farm commented that he was seeing more teat end damage and cows were more agitated coming in for milking At a consultancy visit it was ob-served that we had more clinical mastitis than should be expected with sand bedded cubicles Having had a satisfactory static test the dynamic test seemed the right optionrdquo Alec Pocock parlour consultant with Promar was on farm at 500am to observe the milking in the 2020 parlour ldquoIf you want to really un-derstand the interactions between cows machine and milkers you have to get in the pit and watch what is happening while they are all working togetherrdquo he explains He observed that stockmanship and the milking routine were excel-lent meaning the cows were well handled but two problems were found with machine op-eration which were directly contribut-ing to the teat end damage The first was that operating vac-uum at over 46kpa was high The sec-ond problem was with ACR opera-tions Mr Pocock
ACRs were coming
rate especially for high yielding cows In addition the delay time and sweep time were too long ldquoThe ACRs were on far too long They were allowing the vacuum
teat Incorrect ACR operation and setting is probably one of the most common issues we identify All too often they were set up for lower
For his 10000 litre cows I would be looking at the ACR activating at 550mlminute to prevent teat end damagerdquo Mr Pocock re-set the vacuum to 45kpa to give a more consistent and slightly lower vacuum level The ACRs have been reset by the manu-
ldquoThe cows were telling us we had a problem and the dynamic test
happier to come into the parlour because milking is less stressful and we have seen an improvement in teat end condition Cell counts have fallen from around 200 to close to 120 and we are seeing far less clinical mastitis Sorting the problems is saving me money in treatment costs and has reduced milking time by 20 minutes per milkingrdquo
Neil Robinson addressed teat end damage
4mm waterproof reversable rubber top cover
42mm thick balanced latex core
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
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pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 39
A dynamic test looks at the whole milking process and the interactions between the milking machine the cow and the operator
systems on cow entry (let in and feed) achieve
15 seconds ldquoThe good news is that there are
-
a dynamic machine test
-
Quick low cost solutions
He says that based on a dynamic test it is often
-
-
release sooner With higher yielding cows it has
teat end damage and over
Mr Hooson stresses it is
-tlyrsquo Too low a teat end vac-
-
-
-
MILKING PARLOUR MAINTENANCE
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
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quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
40 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Protecting environment and BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
For Cumbria dairyman Brian Harrison developing a bet-
ter understanding of how their tenanted family farm impacts on the environment is now an es-sential part of business planning But he maintains that protecting the environment goes very much hand-in-hand with boosting farm
ldquoWe think itrsquos important to understand how to reduce the im-pact of your farm on the environ-mentmdashbut in our experience the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint actually deliver
ldquoItrsquos about milking as many
cows as you can as long and as
donrsquot monitor how you are doing
improvementsrdquo he says
Herd expansion
Brian and his wife Joanne daugh-ter Charlotte and son Jimmy now milk 400 Holsteins at Low House Farm Armathwaite near Carlisle The Harrisons came to the farm in April 2003mdashinitially starting with 110 cowsmdashand have steadily ex-panded the herd and improved the holding since then The ultimate aim is to increase the herd size still
furthermdashperhaps to as many as 500 cowsmdashbut only if this can be achieved sustainably ldquoWe have 460 acres here mostly down to grass but our expansion potential is limited be-cause the River Eden borders our land
Not suitable for maize
ldquoWe have tried growing maize but the weather and rainfall in this area can make cultivation and
now focus on growing grass and making good quality silagerdquo When the Harrisons took on
to improve the milking facilities and cow housing on site before the cows arrived A new open air bulk milk tank and 1530 herringbone parlour were installed and a new cattle building was erected ldquoUnfortunately the Holstein
Continued on page 42
Brian Harrison has focused on longevity good nutrition and cow comfort
LED lights
01327 300 395 wwwintershapecom
Eligible for DEFRA grants in England
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
IMAGO Ultrasound Scanner
FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
The complete silage management solution ndash control andstability that delivers high quality feed removing the risks of spoilage mould and high purchased feed costs
Rapidly produces lactic acid
Ensures cooler fermentation tomaintain feed value
Inhibits spoilage bacteria andmycotoxins from developing
Reduces aerobic spoilage
Greater stability at feedout
Reliable effective economical andwith over a decade of proven results
Formulated to get maximum returns from all crops
Firstchoice stabilises silage to preserve the protein
and trace elements Value is further preserved by
cooler fermentation ndash ensuring energy isnrsquot taken
from the feed by raising temperatures
pH is reduced throughout to destroy the
environment that spoilage bacteria and mycotoxins
thrive in ndash resulting in no nasty surprises on opening
and preserving maximum feed value for your
livestock
The yeast specialists
Biocell agri limited
The Lodge Kyre Tenbury Wells Worcestershire WR15 8RW
Tel 01885 410336 Fax 01885 410771
Email biocellagribtinternetcom web biocellagricom
For more information ask your local
supplier or contact us on 01885 410336 or
check out our website wwwbiocellagricom
Firstchoicethe silage inoculator
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
42 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
cows we wanted to bring in were just too big for the beds available so we had to do something to improve their accommodation ldquoIrsquom a great believer in the American lsquoABCrsquo adage when it comes to cow needs air bunker (feeding) and comfort If you get these three crucial factors right consistently the cows will perform to their potential for longerrdquo Brian says ldquoWe breed our Holsteins for type rather than index and our whole management system is geared towards longevity I donrsquot think cows
-tation so we believe itrsquos important to rear them well when they are youngmdashcalves need conti-nuity of caremdashand get the nutrition absolutely right once they are in milk
Emphasis on newly calved cows
ldquoWe also place a lot of emphasis on newly calved cow husbandry and if the diet is 95 right itrsquos not worth changing itmdashsomeone told me once that if everything is going well you shouldnrsquot even change your underpantsrdquo Back in 2003 the cows were bedded on straw which the Harrisons say was good for comfort but became expensive They also found it didnrsquot help minimise environmental mastitis cases particularly in some of the older cows ldquoIn 2010 we installed cubiclesmdashbedding the cows on paper top dressed with sawdust and treated with lime dailymdashand started back-
improved dramaticallyrdquo Brian says The continued focus on cow longevity good
culling rate is now only 13 and the cows are averaging 11500 litres a year at 36 butterfat
and 32 protein with the milk being sold to Arla Brian Harrison also knows his focus on cow longevity is helping the herd perform sustainably Following the implementation of
and Alltech E-CO2 the Harrisons managed to reduce their carbon equivalent production by 219 tonnes per million litres of milk Thatrsquos
224615 fewer tractor miles
Assessing greenhouse gases
Alltechrsquos Dairy Assist programme is designed to -
itability and sustainability It also evaluates the
health and greenhouse gas (GHG) production According to Andrew Wynne from Alltech E-CO2 the company can now provide a farm enterprise with a holistic measure of its carbon
the use of the Alltech Dairy lsquoWhat Ifrsquo Tool and Alltech E-CO2 Dairy EA (environmental assess-ment) to allow farmers scenarios that predict the
-ent nutritional and management changesrdquo Mr Wynne explains ldquoFor example we know that by improving the health of the cow and the rumen more milk will be produced while at the same time lower-ing methane emissions Furthermore healthy cows live longer lowering culling and replace-ment rates For example emissions spread
whereas if they can be spread over increased
during the unproductive rearing period ldquoAll these factors boost your on-farm
Continued from page 40
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
Dairydilemma
by
Amanda Ball
DairyCorsquos head of marketing and communications
Itrsquos quite right dairy farmers want to knowwhat DairyCo is doing to update the publicand the media about the current situation
Our job in marketing and communicationsis to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to letconsumers know what they can do to support our industry
An essential part of our approach is to workwith print and broadcast media alongsideour own websites and social media to tellyour story DairyCo provides helpfulinformative and colourful insight into farmersrsquo passion and commitment to caringfor the animals which produce nutritiousproducts
As well as the information unearthed by ourmarket intelligence colleagues being used tohelp farmers make informed business decisions information is also essential insupporting our media work
DairyCo recently distilled this informationinto a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public The flyerfeatures infographics used to help buildunderstanding of the current factors affecting milk price and can be requestedfrom 024 7647 8696
Itrsquos good to give the public a reason to valuedairy products Informing and educatingthem about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assuranceschemes are a core part of our messagingThe flyer is a resource to create awarenessand can be handed out by you and used atevents such as Open Farm Sunday
Wersquore currently investing pound300000 per yearin our public-facing communication andeducation activities Our DiscoverDairycampaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the informationwebsite wwwthisisdairyfarmingcom an e-newsletter lsquoMoosflashrsquo is all promotedthrough our YouTube and Twitter (thisisdairy) channels In addition thereis our all-important work with schoolsthrough the Food ndash a fact of life programme
The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally verysupportive of the dairy farming industry Allof this work that DairyCo is doing alongside the invaluable work done by others such as The Dairy Council RedTractor Assurance and Dairy UK is helpingus maintain and further improve that reputation
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
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AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 43
Opportunities to improve
Looking to the future
Alltech and The E-CO2 Project
Brian Harrison and his wife Joanne moved to Low House Farm in Cumbria in April 2003
BOOSTING FARM EFFICIENCY
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
IMAGO Ultrasound Scanner
FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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High spec and superb
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
44 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Pembrokeshire milk producer does his sums
Chris James from Simpson Farm in Pembrokeshire says ldquoOur farm is in an exceptional grass growing area but its remote location makes us geographically distant from the milk markets The combination of good early grass production and free draining soil made spring calving a natural choice for us ldquoThe system is a good match for our component-based supply con-
the requirements of our buyermdashmost notably in the months of April May and June Our contract penalises and rewards us according to daily milk production so this position prompted us to examine in detail what steps we can take to negate the surplusrdquo Chris considered three optionsmdashmilking once a day in April May and June a l t e r i n g the feeding strategy or shifting the calving pat-tern to a later date ldquoAll of t h e s e o p -tions present chal lenges because i f we depress peak yield cows will fail to produce the milk we need in the later lactation We reached the conclu-
milk ldquoWhat we could do is increase the volume we produce outside April May and June Last year we supplemented more heavily in the autumn to produce milk in December milking later into the lactation However farmers should do their own sums on this to ensure that this option works for them It is also feasible to look at shifting calving dates back a month from February and March to March and April ldquoSo our choice was to reduce the volume of milk we produce in the three spring months or increase the volume we produce outside that
Options to manipulate milk supply
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
Before implementing strategies aimed at reducing spring milk
production the full implications of such a decision must be under-stood and budgeted ldquoStrategies adopted in the short term can
-cations in terms of animal health production and the businesses performancerdquo according to Ste-phen Whelan
considered by milk producers is to reduce the frequency of milking to once a day (OAD) ldquoData from New Zealand suggests that the loss in milk production can be as high as 40 where OAD milking is employed during early lactation compared to twice a dayrdquo accord-
ing to Stephen Table 1 shows that where this strategy is employed in early lac-tation only it will have persistent
lactation yield of the animal Farmers also need to be aware of other potential issues with OAD milking Stephen explains ldquoFor example somatic cell count
will be higher through changes in mammary gland function or due
to lower milk yield concentrating the same amount of somatic cells into less volume Either way this
milk sold ldquoCows will consume less feed However this reduction will not be immediate and as fat and pro-tein in the milk will be higher the reduction in feed intake may not be as great as one might expect based on the reduction in yield Additionally Irish data suggests
Pembrokeshire milk producer Chris James
Table 1 Effect of once a day milking in early lactation on milk production response
One week Three weeks
Six weeks Full lactation
Immediate loss 15 ndash 20 15 ndash 20 25 ndash 30 -
Carry over loss 0 ndash lt5 5 ndash 10 10 ndash 15 -
Full lactation loss 1 ndash 2 7 ndash 12 12 ndash 20 30
Source DairyNZ
Want a healthier herd Have you considered pasteurising colostrum amp calf milk Put a disease barrier between generations
Reduce Johnes TB and other disease with a colostrum amp calf milk pasteuriser
Colostrometer - measure colostrum quality - a real issue
Perfect Udder colostrum management system - ldquoItrsquos in the bagrdquo
NEW pasteuriser models and prices
NEW First Thirst Colostrum Supplement Powder - Calf amp Lamb
Websitewwwgshepherdcouk
quality advice amp products
m 07778 191964 t 01772 690131 e w
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
Dairymac Bray Breeding Calendar 40 years of service and production recently acquired by Dairymac Full range of numbered magnets 1-1000
AI Gun Warmer Correct semen handling
Insemination Guns Sheathes and Thaw Units
High spec and superb
image
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 45
MANAGING SPRING FLUSH
-
energy balance
Reducing concentrates
-
-
-
Table 2 Effect of dietary crude protein on milk productionInstitute Lactation
StageBasal Diet Crude
Protein Milk Yield (kgday)
Fat + Protein (kg
day)
305-day fat + protein yield
(kg)
UCD EarlyPeak Pasture 18 282 195 -
14 252 184 -
AFBI+ EarlyMid TMR 17 354 270 732
14 318 241 711
Late TMR 17 298 225 732
14 288 221 711
Data from et al 2012 Journal of Dairy Science (CP was for concentrate) and +et al 2009 Journal of Dairy Science
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
46 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Norwegian focus on health and fertility pays off
For the past 50 years Norwayrsquos cattle breeding programme has focussed on health and fertility traits This is now paying off as a group of UK vets visiting Norway found
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
Norwayrsquos farmer-owned breed-ing co-operative Geno was
established 80 years ago and now has 10000 members representing 98 of the countryrsquos milk produc-ers The co-op produces 125 elite Norwegian Red bulls a year Health and fertility have been included increasingly in the na-tional breeding goal since the early 1970s in a response to the drive for lower cost milk production and the
cows would have on achieving this ldquoWe had a weighting of 30 on health and fertility traits in 1980rdquo says Geno global direc-tor Tor Sletmoen ldquoNow itrsquos 42 with production currently
weighted at 28rdquo Despite this shift towards health and fertility milk produc-tion has steadily increased and results just released through the countryrsquos central database show that the national Norwegian Red herd has reached 8000kg at 42 fat and 34 protein in 2014 up from 6100kg in 1990 The breed that accounts for 97 of the countryrsquos cows with all but 3 of herds milk recorded ldquoIn the same 24 years cow health and fertility has improved markedly and producers have
says Mr Sletmoen Vet treatments for mastitis
fertility issues and metabolic dis-orders have fallen Current data shows that on average a cow is treated 05 times a year with an estimated cost to producers of between 09 and 11plitre In 1990
cow per year ldquoWe attribute around 50 of this dramatic improvement to the emphasis placed on health and fertility breeding goalsrdquo says Mr Sletmoen ldquoFor example we look
at sperm quality for each bull from 12 months old and any with poor quality leave the testing pro-grammerdquo A young sire with a non-return rate below 67 is slaughtered So to stay in the programme at this
with semen from young bulls must result in a pregnancy ldquoThis is much higher than the levels set in breeding programmes in many other key dairy countries
Norwegian Red bulls are now being used widely across Europe because of their health and fertility traits Pictured is a crossbred heifer in Italy
Cow Health Card monitors disease levels and treatmentsCows in Norway all have a yellow cardmdashknown as the Cow Health Card Vets are obliged to carry out all prescription treatments on farm and they must log and sign for these on the cowrsquos health card This information is then added to a central database Introduced in 1974 to build a more accurate picture of disease levels and control the Cattle Health Card is integrated into the Norwegian Cattle Health Service ldquoThe Health Card scheme is fundamental to our industryrdquo says Anne Guro Larsgard who is responsible for its operation and for data collation ldquoIt has helped shape the industry in the past two decades by playing a major part in setting breeding goals and weightings It has also provided valuable information for research projects advisory bodies and the Food Standards Authorityrdquo Held by Norwayrsquos principal dairy co-op TINE that buys and sells the majority of Norwayrsquos milk the central database is well-coordinated Major investment a few years ago took it to a new operational level and data continues to be highly regarded by the immediate industry and
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
Embryo Transfer Supplies ICP Bio and MAI supplies from USA
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FREE SAMPLE PACK 5 Estrotect heat detectors with every inquiry Call now for further information on breeding tips price guide and stockists
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 47
DAIRY BREEDING IN NORWAY
and itrsquos tough But it does mean -
men from our elite stud is highly fertile and of good quality This has had a positive contribution to pregnancy rates here and we are seeing great fertility results in crossbred herds we are working with in other coun-triesrdquo Vaccination pro-grammes on dairy units are not the norm in Norway thanks to the eradication of diseases like BVD However herds are regularly screened for BVD and Johnersquos disease to ensure the countryrsquos high health status is maintained
Dry cow therapy is only used in exceptional cases Antibiotic use in dairy herds in Norway is the lowest in Europe ldquoA public outcry on antibiotic
1990s here in Norway focussed attention on their use in all food production
ldquoThe cattle indus-try responded very positively Wersquod seen the use of antibiot-ics in the livestock industry increase for 15 or more years but this reversed and since 1993 wersquove
seen their use on dairy units f a l l m a r k e d l y rdquo a d d s M r Sletmoen
Health and fertility performance of Norwegian dairy herds 2014Calving interval 373 days
Tor Sletmoen
Sverre Bjoslashrnstad
Caution over the adoption of genomics in Norway
ldquoGenomics Not yetrdquo says Geno chief executive Sverre Bjoslashrnstad ldquoMy goal is to implement genomic selection in a safe way ldquoOur high weighting towards health and fertility traits and our success in breeding sires that combine these characteristics with good type and production could be compromised if we immediately follow other coun-tries in reducing progeny testing and putting all our eggs in the genomics basketldquo he explains ldquoWe have to remember that health and fertility traits have lower heritability than production and its these traits in particular that make the breed an increasingly attractive choice in cross breeding programmes around the world particularly in North America The Netherlands the UK and Italy plus many eastern European countriesrdquo While not standing in the way of progressmdashand in fact Genorsquos bull testing programme uses genomics for screening young calves prior to admitting them to its programmemdashhe believes that some countries could be pushing aside health and fertility traits as they place increasing emphasis on their genomic testing programmes ldquoGeno is not prepared to do this Genomic selection for health and fertility is not good enough yet We test 2200 young calves a year using genomics but we then follow a progeny test programmerdquo he says
proof prior to releasing a new proven siremdashby then the bull has a reliability of 82 to 85 for health and fertility and at least 96 for milk productionrdquo
Estrotect Heat Detectors The No 1 Rub Off Heat Detector worldwide
Award winning range of Herd Fertility Heat Detection and Embryo Transfer products from the Industry Experts
wwwdairymaccom salesdairymaccom 01489 894447 James Mob 07872 161128 Dairymac Ltd Lake View Unit C Waltham Business Park Brickyard Rd Swanmore Southampton SO32 2SA
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48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
48 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
Cereal market volatile but good options to balance grass protein
As cereal markets react to weather in key growing regions the focus for UK milk producers is shifting to feeds that maximise value from grazed grass suggests KWrsquos Chris Davidson
FEED MARKET UPDATE
With the South American soya-bean harvest progressing
well after a slow start the biggest recent changes have taken place within the cereals markets The focus for most UK dairy producers is also now on getting maximum value out of grazed grass during the coming months with energy feeds to balance the high levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in grass and boost
Weather concerns
The global wheat market in par--
fected by weather reports from key growing regions The dry
US continues although the po-tential upward pressure on prices has eased following the arrival of rains to resolve similar concerns in Russia and Western Europe However those rains may yet turn out to be too much of a good thing with excessive downpours having the potential to threaten crops in some areas The result is a wheat market some pound5-7tonne above the lows seen in mid-March with considerable volatility expected over the next four to six weeks as various weather reports
also remains around the potential
In contrast UK prices look likely to drop lower in order to shift old crop material and make
storage available for the impend-ing new crop Total UK wheat ex-ports for the year stand at just over one million tonnes (mt) but with a similar volume of imports and little ongoing export interest the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) has increased UK wheat export surplus estimates for 2014-15 by more than 400000t to 39mt
Global trends
On a global basis there remains plenty of wheat available to meet current demand with the Inter-national Grains Council (IGC) recently increasing its projection of world wheat production for 2014-15 by 300000t to 7193mt Most of the increase comes from better than expected EU crops though the rise is against a back-drop of a 24mt cut in the global corn production to 9900mt (3mt drop in South Africa but a 600000t increase in the EU) and an overall easing back of world grain produc-tion estimates to 2000mt (10mt less than 2013-14) With potential for the market to move in either direction buy-ers should remain in close contact with their suppliers during the coming months For starch to help balance grass RDP good alterna-tives to cereals include maize meal processed bread and SweetStarch though some caution is needed since stocks of processed bread and SweetStarch are at some of the lowest levels seen for a few years
at present with Rouxminate and Molale for example supplying high levels of sugars to balance RDP in the rumen as well as help-
-prove buffer feed palatability Prices may not compare directly with the alternatives on the basis of pence per MJ ME but this ad-ditional value makes them worth serious consideration The same goes for moist feeds like Traffordgold and Wessex
Gold which compare favourably against dry feed equivalents but with the added advantage of palatability and good supplies of
improve the quality of the ration base or as a concentrate replacer many customers will be taking the opportunity to secure supplies during the traditional post-turnout dip in demand For other sources of digest-
continued to edge lower despite Sterling weakening In most ar-eas however the extra value that sugar beet feed brings to the ration is tipping the balance for buyers though much rests on personal preference However there will be a con-siderable shift in volumes for next winter Lower production of sugar beet in the UK is expected to com-bine with a potential reduction in imported sugar beet feed expected
-ability So there may be a point in the near future where the need to secure supplies takes priority over price
Protein developments
For proteins the big news is the strength of rapemeal prices on the back of limited availability par-ticularly in the north and a drop-
rapemeal is back to around 60 of the value of soyabean meal with
to May to July contracts There remains the potential for tight soyabean meal supplies into the UK through to May or June with Brazilian farmer sell-ing slowing down despite good harvest conditions and a bumper crop Exports are currently 25 ahead of last year with much of this heading for Europe But it will be important to monitor the situation closely and maintain one to two months for-ward cover to guard against any potential reduction in availability
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 49
CALF FEEDING TRIAL
A trial in New Zealand has investigated the
an internal valve
-
-
-
Cross suckling
-
-
Trial results
Curding and digestibility
--
--
-
-
If cows could talk they would choose
T +44 (0) 2870 868430cowcomfortwilsonagricouk
wwwwilsonagricouk
Pack Mattrade is a rubber crumb filled mattress protected by a top-cover Its yielding surface does not allow sand to compact resulting in a softer bed
Manage Sand the Easy Way
1hr increased resting time over 12 inches of sand
Maintains consistent dimensions between base and cubicle
Reduces sand usagefrom 50-80
Offers a major reduction foot
amp leg lesions
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
50 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
April 2015 bull proof updateIndependent breeding adviser Kevin Lane reports on the latest DairyCo Breeding+ bull proof run where early genomic Holstein bulls are now making their mark in the proven list
BREEDING MATTERS
A new number one sire tops the latest April proof list of
proven Holstein bulls on poundPLI When studying the lists be aware that the type base has been adjusted this month in the same way that the production base was
the introduction of the new poundPLI The base change is approximately 07 points so a bull that was two points of type in December will now be about 13 without any al-
proof Gen-I-Beq Lavamanmdashwho was the first ever number one
-
ing was published in 2012mdashis at the top of the pile Now with 54
a poundPLI of pound640 This is due in part
positive components low cells excellent fertility and functional type He is sired by Oman Oman himself a former number one sire and out of a Goldwyn In second is the former num-ber one Prehen Omen who adds a couple of pounds to his poundPLI which is now pound607 He has 90 UK
-ond Kings-Ransom Erdman also drops one place and is the best in
-ing a low -19 He also transmits the best lifespan score in the top ten at +06 In fourth place VH
sits one
who was outside the top twenty last time As a second crop bull with over 1500 UK daughters as well as thousands world-wide his proof
In joint sixth is the highest fertility Holstein bull available in Gran-J Oman McCormick with
very high components and his
proof is based on over 7500 UK daughters as well as others else-where Also sharing sixth is UK bred Laurelhill Classic who also transmits fantastic fertility at +152 and +05 lifespan Another bull with low main-tenance the highest in the top ten at -21 is the UK proven ABS Simonwith
is the highest type sire in the top 20 at 27 (and this after the base change) and is also a high fat transmitter at +021 the highest in the top
is another
AIS = AI Services ALT = Alta BUL = bullsemencom COG = Cogent DOV = Dovea Genetics GEN = Genus ABS GG = Global Genetics
Top 20 daughter-proven Holstein bulls ranked in poundPLI order April 2015Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire Supplier
Rank poundPLI Bull name
1 640 Gen-l-Beq Lavaman 86 443 211 263 004 014 -7 02 102 21 146 Man-O-Man SMX
2 607 Prehen Omen 86 342 223 235 011 015 -13 05 72 17 088 Oman BULAIS
3 544 Kings-Ransom Erdman 82 461 221 142 005 -001 -15 06 98 14 050 Planet BULAIS
4 531 74 560 298 229 009 006 -18 02 73 1 103 MGNVIK
5 519 97 754 313 251 002 001 -7 02 128 19 035 Oman SMX
6 508 Gran-J Oman Mccormick 99 -64 182 54 027 010 -13 02 182 08 101 Oman GEN
7 508 Laurelhill Classic 88 320 112 161 -002 007 -15 05 152 17 037 Oman GEN
8 504 ABS Simon 87 480 207 197 002 005 -8 03 96 21 -060 Oman GEN
9 504 79 216 251 108 021 005 -15 04 55 07 272 Freddie COG
10 504 No-Fla AltaEverglade 73 276 238 169 016 010 -11 03 103 21 065 ALTGG
11 501 74 968 354 288 -003 -003 -4 04 14 13 151 Robust COG
12 497 De-Su Freddie Denim 80 273 199 131 011 005 -22 06 119 09 052 Freddie BULAIS
13 497 De-Su AltaMelhor 77 248 229 142 016 008 -22 05 54 12 252 Shot Al ALTGG
14 495 Amighetti Numero Uno 79 76 219 64 024 005 -24 05 104 01 236 Man-O-Man SMX
15 495 Genervations Lexor 78 491 257 221 008 007 -8 02 43 21 151 Man-O-Man SRLWFE
15 493 79 544 161 215 -006 005 -8 03 115 06 120 Oman COG
17 489 Welcome Oman Paco 81 -90 193 55 029 011 -12 02 145 25 -019 Oman BULAIS
18 488 D-Su 521 Bookem 88 614 208 222 -004 003 -17 04 16 13 198 Planet COG
19 485 85 -66 85 41 014 008 -15 06 156 2 047 Ramos BULAIS
20 484 71 435 209 195 004 007 -10 03 70 12 111 Beacon SMX
professional about your business
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 51
Continued on page 52
Valruest Lavaman Lilo a daughter of top poundPLI proven sire Lavaman
with a close correlation between their genomic proof and their new
now pound3 higher with a proof giving
Seagull-Bay Supersire is 11th and now has a proof albeit with
poundPLI is slightly lower than his
milk is higher and at +968kg with
Denim and Altamelhor have maintained their places in the
Amighetti Numero Uno a
The type base change has af-fected the poundPLI across the board
-ping pound500 or more against 17 in
It is also testimony to the sta-
Lexor Kody Bookem and Boyoboy
Genomic roundup
There is no change at the top of the genomic list with Semex marketing
The paternal half brothers of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and PES009 Boardshop both by Mr
one follow a similar pattern of
with positive components big scores for fertility and lifespan
type is almost two points giving
is De-Su Firewall -
-
De-Su Acrobate new in at
BREEDING MATTERS
The Crossbreeding Specialist
Do the sums and keep more of what you earn
Higher conception rates+
Healthier calves and cows+
Good production
Contact us today for a better bottom line
= a better bottom line
Tel 01244 659 622 Email infogeno-ukcom Website wwwgeno-ukcom
Semen available from Norwegian Red Fleckvieh Normande
Jersey Holstein and Brown Swiss
Itrsquos not what you make itrsquos what you keep
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
52 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
BREEDING MATTERS
De-Su 11756 Oc-tavian
View-Home Littlerock
Cookiecutter Harper
Bullseye
Mr America Chacal Topcroft Pesky Trix
De-Su 12109 Battlecry
Ladys-Manor L-Brn Amryn
Continued from page 51
Type list summary
De-Su BKM McCutchen
Bertaiola Mincio
Regancrest-GV S Bradnick
Butz-Butler Atwood Brady Mr Atwood Brokaw
Heavenly Golden Dreams
Top 10 Holstein bulls with Genomic indexes ranked in poundPLI order April 2015
Rank poundPLI Bull name Rel Milk Fat Prot Fat Prot SCC LS FI dCE TM Sire x
() (kg) (kg) (kg) () () () maternal grandsire
1 724 Sandy-Valley-l Penmanship 63 614 297 267 007 008 -19 07 104 12 181 Enforcer x Numero Uno
2 657 Pes009 Boardshop 63 592 253 235 002 005 -20 06 111 15 195 Enforcer x Bookem
3 648 De-Su Firewall 63 290 252 143 017 006 -25 06 103 16 212 Altajackman x Shamrock
4 639 De-Su Acrobate 63 495 265 193 008 004 -29 06 107 11 218 Jetset x Bookem
5 633 De-Su 11756 Octavianbull 64 648 320 239 008 003 -31 05 65 00 186 Numero Uno x Bookem
6 624 View-Home Littlerock 62 590 266 239 004 006 -15 05 67 19 169 Cashcoin x Robust
7 622 Cookiecutter Harperbull 62 555 352 278 016 012 -15 04 -07 16 180 Balisto x Epic
7 621 63 280 269 162 020 009 -23 05 101 09 285 Jetset x Numero Uno
9 619 Midas-Touch Bullseyebull 63 424 261 137 011 000 -16 06 118 22 262 Ransom x Shamrock
10 618 Mr America Chacalbull 63 370 276 193 016 009 -18 05 60 12 219 Cashmoney x Robust
Available from Semex bull Available from Genus
Penmanship the new number one genomic young sire from Semex
STOCK REDUCTION SALE OF TOP QUALITY
BROWN SWISS SEMEN pound5mdashpound10
Including (but not restricted to)
AUSTIN No 1 Type Sire USA
CARL High PLI Sire from USA
DON Exceptional Fat amp Protein
LASKO Good Fertility Sire from Italy
TEMTATION Genomic Young Sire
ONLY AVAILABLE WHILST STOCKS LAST
Ring or email for a complete list
FUTURE GENETICS 01666 860626 01793 812278
fgeneticsbtconnectcom
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 53
Global dairy markets dive
There were high hopes in January and February when the GDT increased
-
euro
euro
-
-
DAIRY MARKET UPDATE BRITISH DAIRYINGThe magazine is now available to view on-lineYou will need to register in order to access this service
Readers will have access to the last 4 issues and the latest edition will be available 5 days after publication date eg the April issue will beavailable to view from 20th April
Go to wwwbritishdairyingcouk to register a password will be sentto you
If you have any questions contact the publisher
Malcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or e-mail via the web link
SILAGE COVERS
Sidewalls from lorry-tyres are ideal for covering silage
Each covers 1m2 and weighs 13kg Contain no water
Easy to handleWill stack Last for many years
Cost as little as1-2pt of silage
Richard Webster 07703 203 686 wwwrwnorguk
Please mention
BRITISHDAIRYING
when responding to advertisements
AINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHYAINSWORTHSFIRST NAME IN HOMEOPATHY
OUR PRODUCTS HELP TO COMBAT A WIDE RANGE OF LIVESTOCK HEALTH PROBLEMS BOTH PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL
SITUATIONS MASTITIS (Staph Aureus Strep Uberis)CELL COUNT RINGWORM BVD IBR LEPTO JOHNErsquoS AND
CRYPTOSPORIDM (calves) bTB PREVENTATIVE This product has been offered to livestock owners
since 2003 There has been no advertising previously but sales have grownby Farmer to Farmer recommendation
This product is another addition to your bio-security measures Call the UK field Agent for Ainsworths to discuss this and
other products further on Tel 01271 342077 or Mobile 07880 742629
LIVESTOCK EVENT 20158th amp 9th July NEC Birmingham
If you are intending to exhibit or have anew productservice press release please note
The JUNE issue will be our pre-event issue and JULY will feature the show report
Clients considering editorial andor advertising shouldnote the following production dates
Advertisements confirmed onby Wednesday 3rd JuneCopy date onby Tuesday 9th June
Publishing date (posted) Friday 19th June
Press releases for consideration should be sent toMike Green at mikebritishdairyingcouk
(Tel 01257 232694) to arrive onby Tuesday 2nd June
For further information please contactMalcolm Bridges 01438 716220 or malcolmbridgesbtinternetcom
wwwbritishdairyingcouk
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
54 BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Trouw Nutrition GB has launched Farm-O-San Rediar a novel dietetic feed for calves which helps scouring animals recover by stabilising water and electrolyte balance to support digestion ldquoScours is still a major drain for anyone involved in calf rearing reduc-ing growth rates and increasing the risk of mortalityrdquo comments Farm-O-San product manager Matthew Stott ldquoThe immediate consequence of scours is that the calf becomes dehydrated losing both water and electro-lytes While there are many measures that can be taken to reduce the rate and severity of incidence of scours on
Farm-O-San Rediar forms a gel in the intestine of calves to help reduce the losses and encourage a more rapid res-toration of the preferred balance of elec-trolytes and water It contains a precise balance of vitamins pro-vitamins and trace elements and a probiotic to support the bacterial balance in the intestine Rediar is suitable for calves up to six months old and should be given at the
a maximum of three days By being added to the milk replacer calves still
milk replacer two to three times a day for up to two days
Cow heat and animal health monitorSilent Herdsman the heat detection and animal behaviour monitoring system has launched mySilent Herdsman Health Alert The mySilent Herdsman Health Alert software service has been
on research carried out during a three year programme supported by In-novate UK It has been proven to accurately and reliably alert farms to the signs of illness most commonly to the early onset of acidosis ketosis mastitisE coli mastitis and lameness The software continually monitors eating and rumination via a
the average time spent by the cow eating and ruminating Alerts are received when eating or ruminating declines with users able to adjust the sensitivity setting for the health alert via the Silent Herdsman system As with heat detection alerts can be received via any smartphone tablet laptop or PC and through accessing the Silent Herdsman and mySilent Herdsman software Drew Sloan Silent Herdsmanrsquos CEO commented ldquoWith farms in-creasing in size and skilled labour in short supply it is becoming much
cow With mySilent Herdsman Health Alert farmers receive early indi-cations of health problems of individual cows enabling them to focus on these few cows and take preventative action before a productive cow becomes a cull cow The system will only need to save one cow per year to pay for itselfrdquo The software-based-service is an optional add-on to the mySilent
Whittal Seeds launch 2015 grass seeds catalogue
Herefordshire-based Whittal Seeds has launched a new grass seed catalogue available to livestock and arable farmers across Herefordshire
-logue presents new mixtures using improved varietiesmdashdemonstrating
Two more Genomax sires have joined the Immunity+ range at Semex taking the number of sires with improved disease resistance
Immunity+ sires are tested and shown to have a stronger immune system as well as the other usual traits and because the heritability
-tional health traits this improved immune response is passed on to their daughters
-ing reduction in common diseases like mastitis metritis respiratory diseases retained placentas and displaced abomasa plus a stronger response to vaccination The two new introductions both genomic are the Mogul son DG Calando and the Doorman son View-Home Utah ldquoThese two sires will be in great demand with Calando edging it for farmers who want high constituents and Utah be-
ing near the top of the list for the many thousands of Doorman fans around the worldrdquo says Michael Dennison UK sales manager for Semex ldquoHe is in short supply because he is one of the most popular sires in the world at the moment but Utah together with Benner Jazz-night (another Immunity+ Door-
bull Semex has also introduced three new genomic sires all of which have excellent milk and constitu-ent credentials with very good daughter fertility type and longev-ity They aremdashRH Superman a Supersire from
mdashView-Home Littlerock sired by Cashcoin and with a PLI score
mdashStantons Certain is out of Stan-tons Freddie Cameo and has a PLI
New Semex siresNovel dietic feed for calves
The GLS has been designed to improve and revitalise compacted grassland that is suffering from the effects of continual rainfall livestock trampling and heavy machinery
It creates and sub-surface shattering effect that will improve drainage and root development and allow more air to get into the soil resulting in increased fungalbacterial activity as well as enabling worm populations to flourish This leads to a soil environment that is conducive to maximum grass growth and stronger plants that are better suited to withstand periods of prolonged rainfall or drought
A leading row of straight serrated discs mounted on individually suspended arms cut through the turf Hydraulic double acting auto reset protected low draught legs then lift and shatter the soil with pin adjustable depth control from 100 to 350mm and featuring quick change one piece narrow wing points Finally a shark fin packer leaves an aerated consolidated and level finish across the full working width Optional following harrow for disturbing and scattering dead vegetation and surface debris
wwwsumo1com salessumo1com
+44 (0)1759 319900
3 4 and 5 leg versions
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
BRITISH DAIRYING April 2015 55
UV-resistant water hose suitable for dairy farms
BeefConnect to boost returns from dairy calves
PRODUCT NEWS
Neospora added to CheCS list
ROBINSONS Quotations AvailableTel Lockerbie- 01576 205905
Cheshire Office- 01606 330227 Nationwidewwwrbscotlandcom salesrbscotlandcom
Robinsons Scotland LtdBroomhouses 2 Ind EstLockerbieDG11 2SD
AGRITUBEL SPECIAL OFFER
100rsquo Long x 50rsquo Wide x 14rsquo HighCubicle Shed with a 4rsquo 6rsquo CantileverEternit Fibre Cement RoofYorkshire Boarding to One Side and Two Ends
15rsquo Self Locking Yokes6 Head Spacespound33300 + VAT
15rsquo Diagonal Feed Barriers9 Head Spacespound16000 + VAT
pound1580000 + VAT
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)
Herd protection made simple
Bovela brings innovation to BVD protection a L2D (live double deleted) BVD vaccine providing 12 months protection against both BVDV types 1 and 2 from a single shot Bovela prevents the birth of persistently infected (PI) calves caused by transplacental infection Vaccination
with Bovela can be done from 3 months of age So now you can fi nally make BVD history Ask your vet for more information
A study from 2010 showed that a major hurdle to effective BVD vaccination is ease of use Only 52 of the farmers in the study gave the two doses required for primary vaccination at the correct interval Furthermore just 24 completed the primary vaccination course at the recommended time prior to service leaving these animals and their calves without proper protection1
Reference 1 Meadows (2010) Cattle Practice 18(3) 202-215Advice on the use of Bovela or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modifi ed live BVDV-1 non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9 1040ndash1060 TCID50 Modifi ed live BVDV-2 non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93 1040ndash1060 TCID50 UK POM-V IE POM Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited Vetmedica Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8YS UK Tel +44 (0)1344 746959 Technical enquiries +44 (0)1344 746957 Email vetmedicaukboehringer-ingelheimcom Date of preparation Feb 2015 AHD8395 Use Medicines Responsibly (wwwnoahcoukresponsible)