SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND DAIRY MONITOR FARM

Transcription

1 SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND DAIRY MONITOR FARM Improving Silage Making at Colfin Farm, Lochans, Stranraer, DG9 9BQ By Kind Invitation of the McWilliam Family Meeting report 29 April 2014 Useful Contacts Heather Wildman - DairyCo facilitator Mobile: heather.wildman@dairyco.ahdb.org.uk David Keiley- SAC Consulting Mobile: david.keiley@sac.co.uk Charlie Russell Estate Manager info@glenapp.com Arnon Langridge Tel: Dairy manager Oli Hall Evolution Farming Tel:

2 IMPROVING SILAGE MAKING METHODS. INTRODUCTION ATTENDANCE 29 people attending the meeting, with continued support from the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire. AIMS OF MEETING To improve silage making techniques in order to make best use of home grown forage. FARMERS DIARY Arnon Langridge Fertility LIC In calf programme adopted. As part of the programme, early intervention post calving to ensure the cow is cycling and clear from infection is critical. At 3 weeks post calving cows are colour marked and metrichecked. Any cows not seen cycling are treated as follows: Clean cows which are cycling no treatment Minor Whites Prostaglandin administered Clinical Whites Metricure administered Chronic Infection Prostaglandin and Metricure Currently non cycling cows were found to be 10% of milking herd. Bulls Bulls have been semen tested prior to serve period. 37 Bulls were tested of which 1 bull was not fertile and 2 were sub fertile. Heifers Serving is due to start on 5 May A serving programme has been adopted based on natural heats followed up with a Prostaglandin and timed AI. Scratch cards have been used to assist heat detection. Feeding In order to improve the accuracy of feeding, the herd has been split into 3 management groups on the herd management software. The amount of feed is adjusted according to KLWG Heifers and smaller cows Medium size cross bred cows Larger Friesian type cows Feeding in the parlour has been adjusted to reflect, size, yield potential and body conditions. The herd will be physically split into 2 sub herds ASAP with calved heifers and light cows being ran separately from the mature herd. 2

3 Mastitis Review Ian Onstad from the Dairy Group (National Mastitis Expert) has completed a mastitis review of the herd. Clinical cases per 100 cows 10 cases Incidence of clinical mastitis in heifers 3% equivalent to 16 heifers (3 heifers culled as a result). The housed environment for heifers has been indicated as a possible cause of infection. Heifers were cleaner outside in previous years. Outwintering may be considered as an option next winter. Going forward the following points have to be considered as options: Pre-vaccination for mastitis prior to 1 st calving Teat sealing heifers Improving house or wintering environment Antibiotic tube treatment 6 weeks pre calving Cleaning udders pre calving in parlour Improve management post calving Grassland Current grass growth of 24 kg DM/ha/day. Current grass demand 24 kg DM/hd/day. Soil temperature reached 11 C. Grass growth increasing rapidly. From 25 April, silage was dropped from the rations. Cows now on just grass and blend in parlour. Maize Blend used to maintain body conditions and ensure an energy dense ration prior to serving. Grass now being sampled. Production Average Yield Butterfat 4.3% Protein 3.46% Milk Solids 21.8 litres per cow 1.69 kg solids per cow Calves 80 calves have now been weaned and are growing well. Calves on the calf jacket trial were found to be too warm. Therefore, given the good spring weather the jackets have been taken off. Separating bull and heifers focused management. Blood IGG s were taken at 3 weeks. High blood IGG s correlated with the best growth rates. Typically growth rates have been around the 0.7 kg/day, with the lowest growth rate observed at 0.4 kg/day. Growth rates will continue to be monitored through the bulling. Calf Jackets Calf jackets may have a place in the system however, reducing draught inside the shed has benefitted the calves significantly. Keeping calves inside for slightly longer, increasing cake intakes at an early stage and improving milk powder fat content have increased daily liveweight gains. Mineral Supplementation Minerals are supplied through water. Magnesium supplementation has been increased since going to grass. No cases of staggers have been observed. 3

4 Farm visit Colfin Farm, Lochans, Stranraer Farm facts Previous winners of SW Silage Competition 400 acre farm Partnership of Peter McWilliam. Brother Alastair McWilliam and Peter s son, Andrew. 200 dairy cows and followers 160 acres of first cut made annually Further 20 acres rented at Port Logan 23 acres of Spring Barley sown annual for reseeding 2013 productions 1,060,000 litres based on 189 cows Kg concentrates per litre 0.34 (average 0.27) Margin over purchase feed pence (current) Cows currently averaging 31 litres per day Cows housed at night on a TMR of silage, draff and straw plus blend and cake in parlour Calving interval 374 days Calving 60% Spring and 40% Autumn No calves born July and August Longer term aim to increase the number of spring calvers Electric calf feeders 30 kg of powder per calf reared on powder for 64 days Genetics red and white Holstein bred from an Ayrshire type cow Milk Quality Butterfat 4.43 Protein 3.40 Milk purchaser Fresh Milk Company (Lactalis) Replacement Heifers AI bred Heifers synchronized AI within sexed semen followed by sweeper bull Bull calves sold as weaned calves at 3 months Average yield per cow 7,150 litres with 4.23% Butterfat and 3.33% Protein. Business Drivers Improve margin/cow Improve herd health Utilise more grazed grass Enhance milk quality 4

5 Please see Appendix I and II as detailed by Oli Hall, Evolution Farming Appendix i Appendix ii 5

6 Farm Walk Silage Fields Proposed calving date 25 May with 50% ear emergence. Looking for both quality and bulk. Silage fields grazed with hogs until January. Aim to make any silage. Flat bed mower with spread plates used followed by tedder. Grass nitrogen sampled; expected to use 2 unites of N per day (more in good weather) Fertiliser adjusted to take account of slurry Split application of fertilizer to a maximum of units/acre Fields rolled for the benefit of the contractor. Stones are an issue. Some suggested just doing end riggs rather than the whole fields. Grass reseed approximately every 10 years, newer grass have better growth, with enhanced energy and protein content. Most fields are cut twice, some third cut maize is as required. Clamp Preparation Clamp cleaned and swept out and power washed. Additives used Micron Advance supplied by Newbred UK. Enzyme based 1.10 ton for grass silage. Clamp dimension 30 m x 18 m x 2.4 = 1500 t silage Currently achieving dry matter intakes of 35 27% DM. Side sheets used, 2 top sheets used, 2 tractors on clamp while filling the pit. Ensiling forage quickly with good compaction assists rapid fermentation, enhance palatability, make more stable silage and makes most use of the nutrient available in the grass. Mowing and Tedding All grass cut in the afternoon Grass tedded out behind the mower and wilted for 24 hours. Rowed up is first of the copper. Drying gives to 27-32% DM prior to chopping. Mowers used front and rear of the tractor owned by the business. Higher outputs achieved with control of timing for cutting and flexibility. Take Home Messages from Colfin Cut early balance quality and bulk Own mower and tedder provides control Monitor fertiliser use and timing of application Make maximum use of slurry (sample) Ensure soil at optimum ph make more effective use of fertilizer. Recommendations for Glenapp Alter exisiting large silage pits to make more smaller/narrower ones to save repeated opening and closing and breaking of air seal but one member did comment that they open and shutting pits 6 times last year no loss in quality 6

7 Use an additive This advice has been followed Dedicate fields off the platform to make silage but this does go completely against principles of grass based systems as discussed at the following meeting on 11 th of June with Robert Craig Sort out compaction issues and improve, manage and maintain soil quality, PH and re-seeding this is an ongoing part of GlenApp s business plan Thanks to the McWilliam Family, Oliver Hall of Evaluation Farming, Newbreed Nutrition. Date of next meeting Wednesday, 11 June at Glenapp, Speaker: Robert Craig Topic: Grass Grazing Cow tracks 7