What stocking rate for my farm? Maximising milk production from pasture Brendan Horan, Laurence Shalloo and Donal Patton Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Moorepark
Presentation Overview The Irish Dairy Industry in 2012 First principles of seasonal, pasture-based milk production A review of two recent stocking rate studies Curtins Farm, Teagasc Moorepark Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Cavan Financial Implications of Increasing SR Conclusions
The Irish Dairy Industry in 2012 There is significant potential for productivity gain on Irish dairy farms Average Top 10% Research Milk Solids (fat + protein: kg/cow) 365 400 450 Milk solids (kg/ha) 722 840 1,300 Herd EBI ( ) 100 120 150 6-week calving rate (%) 55 65 90 Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 1.9 2.1 2.5 Concentrates/cow (kg) 875 530 300 Grass utilisation (t DM/ha) 6.5 9 14
First Principles of Seasonal, Pasture-Based Milk Production kg DM / Hectare daily 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Daily pasture growth rate Daily herd feed requirement 4. High milk productivity (1,250 kg MS/ha) 3. Long grazing lactation (285+ days) Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2. Environmentally efficient 1. 90% home grown feed % of cows in the herd Compact calving high fertility status dairy herd 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Spring Summer Winter CALVE CONCEIVE 285+ DIM DRIED-OFF Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Changing focus of Expanding Grass-based Dairy Systems EU Milk Quota removal 2015 50% increase in milk production (Food Harvest) Stocking rate (SR) governs productivity at pasture (McMeekan, 1956) Higher SR - increased grass utilised & milk production/ ha (McCarthy et al., 2011) Optimum SR: balancing grass utilisation and milk production efficiency Milk produced Grass utilised Grass utilisation Milk production per ha Milk production per cow The key question: What SR will consistently deliver reasonable profits to Irish dairy farmers? Low Stocking Rate High
A Review of Two Recent Stocking Rate Studies 1. Curtins Farm SR Study 2009-2012 What is the biological potential of SR and herd calving date (MCD) on animal performance and feed utilisation? 2. Ballyhaise Agricultural College Farm System Study 2008-2011 A comparison of the productivity of two contrasting pasture-based production systems differing in SR in the BMW region.
Study 1. Description of Treatments 2009-2012 3 whole farm stocking rates compared Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.5 2.9 3.3 Residual Grazing Height (cm) 4.5 4.0 3.5 Fertiliser (kg N/ ha) 250 250 250 Concentrate (kg/ha) 850 850 850
Milk Production Effects Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.5 2.9 3.3 Lactation length (days) 293 290 290 Milk yield (kg/cow) 5,811 5,434 5,110 Milk solids yield (kg/cow) 457 426 408 Milk yield (kg/ha) 14,589 15,978 16,803 Milk solids yield (kg/ha) 1,144 1,249 1,338 Going from 2.5 to 3.3 cows/ha: milk solids/cow 11%; milk solids/ha 17%
Grass Production & Utilisation Effects Grass growth increases with SR Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.5 2.9 3.3 Grass growth (t DM/ha/yr) 14.2 14.6 15.1 Grass utilisation (tonnes DM/ha/yr) Grazed grass utilised 8.8 9.5 9.8 Silage produced 2.8 2.3 2.2 Total feed utilisation 11.6 11.5 12.0 Winter feed deficit (tons DM/ha) 0.0 0.6 1.1 Growth required (t DM/ha): 14.2 15.2 16.2
Grass growth (t DM/ha/yr) 16.5 16.0 15.5 15.0 14.5 14.0 13.5 13.0 12.5 12.0 Cumulative Grass DM Production 2009 2010 2011 2012 LSR MSR HSR Stocking Rate
Study 2 Ballyhaise Agricultural College Farm System Experiment 2008-2011
Grass Growth Characteristics Growing Season (days) Shorter growing season with high peak growth Wet mineral impermeable drumlin (Source : Brereton, 1995)
Improving Grass Production at Ballyhaise Wetter parts of the farm targeted and managed preferentially Improved drainage open drains / sub-soiling Reseeding and stitching with dense diploid varieties No silage conservation Increased N fertilisation Poaching avoided on-off grazing/ stand off pad/ smaller cows Preferential grazing - identified on wedge & grazed > 8cm in good conditions Postgrazing residuals of 3.5cm Growth potential has increased on average from 6.5 t to 12 t/ha
The BMW Region is capable of excellent grass growth Grass growth (t DM/ha) 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 2008 2009 2010 Year 2011 2012
Experiment 2. Description of Treatments 2008-2011 Supplements required 100 90 80 Kg Dm/day 70 60 Additional Grass HI: SR 4.5 cows/ha 50 40 30 Grazed grass HG: SR 3.1 cows/ha 20 10 0 l l r r t t r r r y y ug ug Sep Sep Sep Oc Oc ov eb Ma Ma Ma Ap Ap Ma Ma Jun Jun -Ju -Ju F A A N 07 21 04-18- 01-15- 29-13 27 1017 03 17 31 14 28 12 26 09 23 How much additional feed is required to sustain a higher stocking rate on a limited milking platform?
Effect of System of Milk Production Feed System1 HG HI Silage fed (kg DM/cow) 326 659 Concentrate fed (kg DM/cow) 542 864 MS yield (kg/cow) 377 391 MS yield (kg/ha) 1,144 1,786 Grass growth (t DM/ha) 13.6 12.9 Grass utilised (t DM/ha) 10.2 9.8 Silage produced (kg DM/cow) 704 145 Growth required (t DM/ha) 15.0 19.0 Feed system1 HG = Low input pasture system, HI = High output per hectare system
Lessons from Study 1 & 2 Increasing SR can increase milk output, grass growth and utilisation Target winter feed requirements were not achieved for the higher SR SRs that grossly exceed the growth capability of the farm (4.5 cows/ha) greatly increase overall milk productivity but contribute little additional grass utilisation and significantly increase purchased feed requirements Grazing management focused on increasing DM production & quality
Impact of SR on the feed budget and production costs Growth: 13 t DM/ha Silage produced 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Grazed grass 0% 2.4 2.8 Silage purchased Concentrate purchased 0.35 0.34 0.33 0.32 0.31 0.3 Home grown feed % 0.29 0.28 0.27 0.26 3.3 Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.5 Milk production costs (c/l) Diet composition (%) Grazed grass
Impact of SR on the feed budget and production costs Growth: 16 t DM/ha Silage produced 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Grazed grass 0% 2.4 2.8 Silage purchased Concentrate purchased 0.35 0.34 0.33 0.32 Home grown feed % 0.31 0.3 0.29 0.28 0.27 0.26 3.3 Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.5 Milk production costs (c/l) Diet composition (%) Grazed grass
The Effect of SR on the Profitability of Irish Dairy Farms Post EU Milk Quotas Financial Evaluation: 40 ha dairy farm post milk quota Assumptions used in paper
Impact of SR on Net Farm Profit/ha @ 28c/l base milk price Farm Growth Rate: 16 tons DM/ha 13 tons DM/ha Net profit ( /ha) 2000 1900 Effect of SR highly dependant on grass growth 1800 At higher milk prices, higher SR is more profitable 1700 1600 12% 1500 1400 8% 1300 1200 1100 1000 2.4 2.8 3.3 Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 4.5
Impact of SR on Net Farm Profit/ha @ 28c/l base milk price Farm Growth Rate: 16 tons DM/ha 13 tons DM/ha 2000 Increase labour efficiency system simplification 1900 34% Net profit ( /ha) 1800 1700 1600 31% 1500 1400 1300 1200 Major benefits of increased SR realised where both grass and labour utilisation gains achieved 1100 1000 2.4 2.8 3.3 Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 4.5
Conclusions Outlook for Irish milk production is excellent Future health of expanded industry dependant on milk from grazing Target minimum SR of 2.4 cows/ha on farm growing 13 t DM/ha Benefits of increasing SR beyond 2.8 cows/ha? highly dependant on farm grass growth - measurement critical dependant on increased grass and labour utilisation grazing/ nutrient management practices adopted for higher SR
We wish to acknowledge Irish dairy farmer funding of this research http://www.agresearch.teagasc.ie/moorepark brendan.horan@teagasc.ie