Pasture Jerseys

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Pasture Jerseys

description

Pasture Jerseys. Experience with Jersey cows from 1965/66 at the age of 6 years old My father milked 15-20 Jersey cows once a day by hand from natural pastures in a dry area with rainfall of about 500 mm/annum Production between 5-15 lit/cow/day. Own farming career. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Pasture Jerseys

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Pasture Jerseys

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• Experience with Jersey cows from 1965/66 at the age of 6 years old

• My father milked 15-20 Jersey cows once a day by hand from natural pastures in a dry area with rainfall of about 500 mm/annum

• Production between 5-15 lit/cow/day

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Own farming career

• Own farming career started in 1981 together with my father – sheep farming

• Bought 10 cows in Feb 1981• Bought cheapest cows available, any breed• AI with relevant purebred sires from the start• Sold milk in cans to Nestle – no bulk tanks

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• Slowly build numbers to about 50 cows in milk by end 1982

• Turn to dairy only in 1983• Build 8 a side switch over herringbone parlour• Increase to 150 cows by 1986

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• Bought own farm in 1986• Increase numbers to 250 cows • Bought present farm in 1994• Milk 800 cows – 90% + purebred Jerseys• 36 unit rotary• 125 ha centre pivot irrigation• 250 ha dry land pastures

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My Jersey Experience

• Grow up with Jersey cows• Join Albany Jersey cattle Club in 1982• Register with Jersey SA in 1984• Production was about 4000lit/cow/year• Local AI bulls - mostly sons of Milestone

Generator, Marlu Fashion Legend

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• Import first semen from USA in 1984 – A Nine Top Brass

• Daughters started to milk in 1987• Lowest first lactation production was more

than that of mother – six daughters average over 5000 lit compared to herd average of 4000 lit

• Best daughter did 6000 lit

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• Top Brass daughters 1000-1500 lit better then local progeny

• Importation quota's• Used maximum allowed• Lion Pride Lynx, Brass Major, Brass Top, Mills

Homestead, Be Magic, JS Quicksilver Royal, Opportunity, Hermitage, Lester, Yankee Chief, Boomer Sooner, Malcolm

• Althea sons – Alf, Dunker, Adonis

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Highlight

• Picked Lester as a young bull in 1990/1• 30 Lester daughters born in 1992• Sold two Lester sons out of Royal daughters to AI• Kamma widely used• Sold 4 Lester daughters at 1994 National Sale for

highest average price• Herd production 5700 lit• Adonis/Sooner/Opportunity 8000 first lactation

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The system

• Started off as “cow” farmer. • Focus on cow - production• Visited NZ in 1993• Become a “grass” farmer• Focus on grass – cow “harvester” to turn grass

into milk/profit• From about 2010 – pasture yields dropped

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• Now a “soil” farmer• Focus healthy sustainable soil – Grow quality

pastures and use cow to convert to profit• Not organic – rather environmental friendly • Compost, chicken manure, combinations of

pastures, clovers etc. – less chemical fertilizer• Soil health and sustainability high priority

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Feeding system

• 11-12 kg’s DM from pastures• 4-5 kg’s concentrates• Maize and minerals• Add silage when pastures not enough• Add protein Jan – Apr – supplement pasture

quality

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Right cows for the system?

• 1981- 1993 High “genetic merit” • Focus on production and type -mostly USA• 1994- 2010 Focus changed – cow must utilize pastures• Feeding to much concentrates- not healthy for the

cows• Find that 2.5- 3 kg’s of concentrate/milking is

maximum for healthy rumen.• Lower concentrate feeding – High producers lost to

much weight• Cows milked to “much” – Fertility problems increase

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• Turn more towards NZ genetics• Import Judds Admiral and Parkwood Casper

semen• Ernest, Senator Sam , Panache, Charlie’s Lad,

Rivers Imperial, Erect, Mans Man • Lost to much production from third generation

NZ• “Cross” between NZ and “High merit”

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• “High merit” genetics not enough strength.• 2006 – Aus - Badger very good.• Select NZ semen for high production/good

type• Manhatten , Murmer• Aus - Larfalot, Gainfull• Balance between production and strength

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Profit drivers

• Pasture utilisation• Reduction of costs

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Pasture cows

• Production• Medium production• First lactation – 4000- 4500• Second lactation – 4500 – 5000• Mature lactations – 5000-5500• Not more than 6000-6500!!!!!!!• Peaks – First lactation 18 – Mature 25

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• Reduce replacement cost• Average of 5 lactations• Rear 25 % - 25 heifers/100 cows• Type• Health traits

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• Strength – must not lose to much condition at peak – fertility

• Good udders• Low somatic cell count• Feet and legs

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Bulls

• Most impressive• Top Brass• Royal• Lester• Judds Admiral• Badger• Manhatten

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• Biggest disappointments• Great Magic• Squire• Jas Byg

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