cow management uk june-july 2016

ONCE-A-DAY MILKING

Is it a cost-saving optionfor your herd?

HEIFER IMMUNITY

Tips on safeguarding health in freshly calved heifers

LIVESTOCK EVENT

We preview this year’s annual two-day show

VOLUME 14 NO 4 JUNE/JULY 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

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The transition phase is the most important period in the production cycle of the cow. Research shows that over 80% of health and performance problems occur due to poor management and nutrition during this period.

and cost savings can be made. This could realise over £11,000 or 1.5ppl per 100 cows.

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Improve calf performance focus on colostrum quality

Reduce negative energy balancefocus on liver health

Increase Dry Matter Intake focus on rumen development

Boost cow healthfocus on immunity

Control milk feverfocus on calcium balance

Give your cows a head start.

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F E A T U R E S 5 Cow Talk 12 Overalls Off: water-skiing 20 Roger Evans 23 NMR Dairy Management News 37 ForFarmers Nutritional News/ Thompsons Nutritional News 43 CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information 54 Events and contacts

R E P O R T 14 Robots reduce reliance on labour for

Somerset-based family

F E E D I N G 18 Cost control with zero grazing/ Investing in grass now can reap rewards for years to come 46 Growing and feeding wholecrop

B R E E D I N G 34 Trouble-free cows offer yield and longevity

M A N A G E M E N T 50 Fast-track cows geared to achieving health, fertility and production targets

SpecialLivestock Event

HealthHeifer immunity

Main articleOnce-a-day milking

Meet this year’s Gold Cup fi nalists and fi nd out what’s new at this year’s show25 Good health, at and around

calving, is essential to protect your investment40Making the switch is

helping some herds to cope better with volatility8

Rob Green “We needed greater fl exibility and less reliance on labour” 14

This is our ‘Livestock Event’ issue – the one that will hit your doormats

before the show and graces our stand at this year’s two-day exhibition. And we hope that you’ll also fi nd time to grace our stand, either to take part in our exciting darts competition and take your chance to win one of our big prizes, or simply just to say ‘hello’.The World darts champion – Scott ‘Scotty Dog’ Mitchell – will also be on our stand on Wednesday July 6. So if you want some darts throwing tips before you try for the bulls’-eye, then he’s your man.We featured him in our May issue’s Overalls Off column. And in this issue, on page 12, it’s the turn of water-skier and producer Andy Brisbourne. Do let us know if you, or a dairy-producer colleague, have an interesting hobby or pastime. We may like to talk to you!This issue also includes our regular column from Roger Evans, who shares his relief that the UK saw a relatively cool spring and that the annual ‘fl ush’ of

milk wasn’t too great. Volatility remains, however, and we spoke to two producers who are among many others who are currently milking just once a day in a bid to reduce costs of production and maximise their bottom line. Find out why it’s working for them – and if it could work for you – on page eight.We also have articles on maximising milk from home-grown forage, which include a feature on how wholecrop cereals can play a ‘fl exible’ role in balancing dairy rations on page 46.Heifer immunity, more specifi cally how to maximise and support it at and around calving, is our focus on page 40. Three vets offer some tips and advice on heifer rearing – from birth through to post calving – to ensure that they enter the herd healthy, milking well and easily able to get back in calf.Attention to detail is key here and not huge fi nancial investment. So see if you could be doing more to protect your investment in tomorrow’s milkers.

Editor Rachael Porter Please say ‘hello’

C O N T E N T

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Bluetongue campaign hits the road

Wholecrop guide launched

Take action to minimise heat stress impact on milk outputEven at temperatures as low as 20°C, heat stress can reduce feed intake, drop butterfats and cut milk yields by up to 20%. So says KW nutritionist Anna Sutcliffe, who warns that when cows are in direct sunlight or high humidity, even modest ambient temperatures will cause milking and transition cows to start suffering the negative effects of heat stress.“So watch closely for cows that are panting, lethargic, standing rather than lying or have a respiratory rate that’s higher than the normal 26 to 50 breaths per minute,” she says. “Reductions in feed intake or milk yield of 10% or more – as well as Increased ration sorting – can also indicate that heat stress is a problem.”Good access to clean drinking water

is essential, as are changes to herd management to reduce exposure to direct sunlight, lower stocking rates, boost ventilation and increase access to shade. Rations will also need to be adjusted to account for the lower feed intakes. “Increase ration energy density by feeding high quality forage – or using energy-rich moist feeds like Traffordgold – and boost digestible fibre intakes to reduce acidosis risk by including sugar beet feed, British wheat distillers’ feed or soya hulls,” adds Dr Sutcliffe. “Rumen-protected fat supplements, such as Goldenflake and Butterfat Extra, can also help, as will adding a liquid feeds like, Lactoboost, to increase palatability, encourage intakes and reduce sorting.”

The Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB) is launching a series of roadshow meetings to give updates on bluetongue disease to producers, vets and the wider farming industry.Events will be staged across the south of England, the area of the country most at risk. Attendees will be able to hear about the clinical signs to look out for, what to do if bluetongue is suspected and they can also find out more about the vaccine to assess the risk livestock.

A management guide, to help producers to better utilise fermented wholecrop, to maximise milk from forage and reduce production costs, has been launched by Biotal.Drawing on the results of a major independent trial, the guide explains how fermented wholecrop can help reduce risk in forage production, allowing producers to increase the contribution from forage and so reduce purchased feed costs. It contains sections on the strategic use of the crop, crop selection, management and utilisation.

Bluetongue is caused by a virus transmitted by biting midges, which are most active between May and October and can infect all ruminants, including cattle. The disease is currently circulating in France and DEFRA says that the UK is at risk of an outbreak this year, with an outbreak in late summer rated the most likely – the probability of incursion being between 33% and 60% in July and 80% in September.

“The research shows that fermented wholecrop is a uniquely flexible forage, bringing numerous significant benefits to producers looking to reduce costs of production by increasing utilisation of forage,” says that company’s Stuart Goodison. “In many cases producers can confidently expect a 2:1 return on growing costs, which can help them develop a more resilient system.”Register for a copy of the guide by visiting the Biotal stand at the Livestock Event (stand FF420) or call 0800 731 0005.

MSD Animal health anticipates that supplies of Bluevac BTV8 will be available to selected European countries, including the UK, in mid-July. And Zoetis has also said that a batch of the bluetongue vaccine Zulvac 8 Bovis is expected to become available to vet practices in mid-July. The company is urging interested producers to speak with their vets ‘sooner rather than later’ to discuss disease risk and help practices get an indication of likely demand.

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The switch to once-a-day milking was a no brainer for Staffordshire-based

producer Giles Bristol. That’s not to say that he made the change without crunching a lot of numbers and doing his homework. Far from it. But his system, his cows and his milk contract – supplying cheese producer Joseph Heller with a bonus for solids and unseasonal production – all meant that once-a-day milking was a cost-saving option that he couldn’t afford to ignore.Giles, and his wife Emily, run a 100-cow Jersey New Zealand Friesian-cross herd on a 24-hectare tenancy. The herd is block calved late in the summer – calving starts on August 1 for nine weeks. “So we’re making the most of the late summer flush of grass,” says Giles. “Cows are then housed in November, after peak yields have been reached and concentrate feeding is kept to a minimum throughout the winter. It’s a system that’s working well with the current low milk price, but we can also feed more concentrate and milk twice a day when the price is better.”The herd’s twice-a-day rolling average yield is 5,100 litres at 4.6% butterfat and 3.6% protein. This year, Giles began

text Rachael Porter

More and more producers are switching to

once-a-day milking in a bid to drive down

production costs. But could it be an option

for your herd and set up? We spoke to two

producers and a nutritionist to find out more.

Once-a-day could be the wayWhat are the pros and cons of milking cows just once each day?

Mary-Jane Robinson: “SCC must be well under control before considering a switch”

M A I N A R T I C L E

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milking once a day on April 1 – a little earlier than he did last time he made the switch in 2014, which was on May 1. “We had a cold spring this year, so grass growth was slow at the beginning of the season and, due to the low milk price, it was hard to justify extra concentrate feeding. So we made the strategic decisions to drop to once-a-day milking a little earlier than planned,” he says, adding that that’s what’s so good about his set up – it’s flexible.

Flexible system“In a good year, such as 2015, when milk price was better but falling, we decided to keep milking twice a day to make the best of the price. When prices are lower, we can cut right back and save on concentrate and milking costs without comprising cow health, fertility or our bottom line. Our cows and management system allow us to do that.”Before this year’s switch to milking just once at 6.30am each morning, the herd’s milk solids were 4.8% butterfat and 3.6% protein. In May, these figures were up to 5.2% butterfat and 4.0% protein. “And that’s with no concentrates fed. We dropped from 0.12kg per litre to zero,” says Giles.Yes, there is a drop in yield. Daily yields fell from 13.5 litres to an average of 11 litres: “But with solids up by between 9.5% and 10%, the milk cheque is pretty static.”Giles says that the only downside has been an increase in the herd’s average somatic cell count. “In 2014, when we made the switch to once a day, SCC spiked and then dropped back to its previous level. This time it’s spiked and remained at around 300,000 cells/ml, rather than the more typical 180,000 cells/ml. Some of this will be to do with the cows’

Once-a-day could be the wayWhat are the pros and cons of milking cows just once each day?

Giles Bristol: “Flexibility is key to maximising our bottom line”

Ian Sharman: “It works for our cows, our system and our set up”



stage of lactation and we have dried off some of the worst offenders a little earlier than usual. Mastitis cases have remained static, so it’s not all bad. And we’re just riding it out.”Despite this blip, Giles is confident that once-a-day milking is the way to go for his herd. “I like the flexibility it gives to our system. We can pull back when we need to and push when milk price is better. We’re more able to weather any volatility.”Giles and Emily are in the process of moving their herd to another tenanted unit in Stoke on Trent. “It’s a longer-term tenancy and a slightly larger unit. We’re looking to push cow numbers up a little, but everything else will stay the same. The system we’ve adopted is working well here and it will work well there too. In times of pressure, it’s all about keeping fixed costs as low as possible. And I think we’re managing to do that pretty well. I’m certainly confident about our future in the industry.”

Organic conversionIan Sharman, who runs his 360-cow Montbeliarde herd near Southwell in Nottinghamshire, is another once-a-day convert. “It was my son Tom’s idea. We talked about it for a while before we actually took the plunge,” he says. “It’s vital to do your homework and make sure it’ll benefit your business, rather than cause problems.”The falling milk price meant that the business, which he manages in partnership with this wife Steph and son Tom, was struggling to cover the high cost of labour. The herd is also in the process of converting to organic, so the price of non-GM feeds and other ‘organic’ inputs was also putting some financial strain on the herd – particularly as it is not yet realising an organic premium for its milk.Again, the type of cow being milked and the solids contract that the business has with Arla were pivotal to the decision to take the once-a-day route – and its success.“We cut back on concentrate feeding – cows are fed just 200kg of concentrates per year, rather than 1.75 tonnes. And average yields fell from 7,200 litres to 4,200 litres,” says Ian, who began once-a-day milking six months ago. “But butterfat is up from 3.7% to 4.2% and protein from 3.4% to 3.7%, so what we lose in milk yield we gain in solids.“And our breed means that the cows don’t milk off their back – if we don’t feed them, they produce less milk. So there’s been no compromise in terms of health or fertility,” adds Ian. “We’re happy with our results. It’s not about milk yield – we’re looking at total profit and what’s left at the bottom of the balance sheet. And that’s certainly looking a lot better now.” And this is despite

a spike in somatic cell count, as also experienced by the Bristol’s herd. “That’s been the only issue so far – SCC has gone up to around 300,000 cells/ml. So that’s something we’re working on at improving at the moment.”The switch has freed up some time to tackle that issue – as well as other areas of management. “That’s another benefit of moving to once a day. We milk at 5.30am each day and the rest of the day is clear to focus on cow management – be that health, fertility or any other issues.” And with organic conversion set to be complete on January 1, 2017, there is plenty that Ian and Tom need to be focusing on. “Reducing our costs and freeing up time for herd management means that we can see some light at the end of the tunnel,” adds Ian. Thompsons’ nutritionist Mary-Jane Robinson says that although once-a-day milking is advantageous on some low-yielding dairy units, she advises caution before making the switch.

Cow type“For some units, once a day is the way to go, but the type of cow being milked and the management system – plus the milk-buyer contract – have to suit this approach,” she stresses.“With a move to once-a-day milking reducing yield per cow by between 15% and 20%, the decision must be based on a thorough cost-benefit basis.”Mary-Jane works with, predominantly, high yielding herds: “And they’re managed on intensive systems, some housed all year round and milked with robotic systems. So clearly once-a-day just doesn’t come into it.“Those high-yielding herds that are milked conventionally would be unwise to switch to once a day, particularly those comprising high genetic merit Holstein cows, which have a strong will to milk even when concentrate feed rates are lowered. That would pave the way to a myriad of production diseases and fertility issues.”She adds that milk leakage can also be a problem in high yielding cows. “Udder conformation can be compromised by the weight of the milk – the udder could, potentially, collapse. So genetics, suited to more flexible milking routines, are important,” she says. Another ‘side effect’ often seen in once-a-day milked herds is an increase in SCC and mastitis. “The longer interval between milkings can allow infection to become established and levels of inflammation may increase. So herds really do need to have SCC well under control before considering a move to once-a-day milking,” she says. l

M A I N A R T I C L E



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Contract heifer rearer Andy Brisbourne has a passion for water-skiing. Come the summer, he dons a wetsuit and

heads off to the nearby Bomere Water Ski Centre, south of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, to get his fix at least twice a week – more often if he can. “I have three ‘water-skiing’ friends and we bought a boat together. We like to head down to the lake as often as possible,” he says.The 10-hectare fresh water lake is nestled in 50 hectares of mature woodland. “That in itself is an escape. The water-skiing adds some exhilaration – and acceleration – to the scenery.”While skiing he can reach speed of up to 55mph and still stay in control. “I have to have a slalom course – a set course marked out by buoys – to negotiate now. Just skiing on flat water is not enough to hold my interest and skiing a course stops bad habits from creeping in and makes sure that I keep pushing myself,” he explains, adding that he has competed in the national slalom water-skiing divisions in the past. “Taking part in competitions also gives you something to focus on and keeps you sharp.”Andy also water-skis on holiday in the UK and abroad. “But the local lake is where I have the most fun. It’s just 20 miles away – on my doorstep. It’s really important to have something to do away from the unit. Water-skiing is a way to escape and unwind, even though it’s physically demanding.”If Andy had his way, he’d water-ski all year round. “But the other group members are not so keen come the winter months and you can’t ski if there’s no one to drive the boat. So the season starts in March and finishes in October.”It’s the combination of water and speed that appeals to Andy, who first tried the sport as a child but really got into it in his 20s. He’s now in his late 30s and says that he’s still improving. “I certainly moved up a gear when we bought the boat and I was able to go more often,” he says, adding that a strong core is vital, mainly to protect your back. “It’s not really about strength and power – it’s more about technique – skill and timing to be more precise. It’s something you can do at any age, if you’re reasonably fit.”And it’s thrilling and fast, but not too risky. A hobby that could put you out of action when there’s a physical job to do back on the farm is a no no. “If you fall off the ski, it’s not too bad, unless you hit a wake. I’ve popped a rib in the past – I still have a lump from that. And I’ve been concussed a couple of times. But nothing too serious. It’s certainly not a dangerous sport, but the speeds you reach certainly make you feel alive.”

Andy Brisbourne: “It’s exhilarating – but not too risky”

Speed – with added splashtext Rachael Porter

Name: Andy BrisbourneLocation: Shrewsbury, ShropshireHeifers reared: 400 per yearHobby: Water-skiing

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System sharpens management focus

There have been many changes at the Green family’s Somerset-based

Court Barn Farm – not least a recent switch to robotic milking the 250-cow herd, in September 2015. The catalyst was increased demand for more sociable working hours and a growing realisation that more time was needed to spend on managing – rather than milking – the cows if herd health, fertility and productivity were to improve.“My father spent six weeks in hospital in 2013 and that really brought home just how little we valued our own labour and how much we would potentially

spend on buying in labour should either one of us be unable to work,” explains Rob Green, adding that his father is, thankfully, now fully recovered and plays a key role in feeding the cattle on the Glastonbury-based unit.

Better wayBack in 2013, he and his father managed two dairy units, fi ve miles apart, comprising a total of 280 cows. “We ran one – where we run our herd today – and we also had a herdsman running the other. But I did all the feeding, with a mixer wagon, on both units.

“I’d clock up 15 miles in the tractor every day before breakfast. And when dad was out of action for several weeks it made us realise that there had to be a better way to run the business – and a way that offered greater fl exibility and less reliance on labour.”The logistics involved in silage making and slurry handling were also proving increasingly tricky. “And we needed to expand what he had, so a more viable and sustainable option was to lease the second unit to tenants and increase cow numbers here at Court Barn.”That option also meant building new facilities, on a greenfi eld site, to house and milk more cows. “We rented out the other farm, which we own, and sold the cows that were there to the tenant. That released some capital,” explains Rob.This process began more than two years ago – renting and selling the herd at the other unit took 12 months of planning and heifers from that herd and the herd at the home unit were reared and retained to push up cow numbers on the newly-built unit.Four Lely robots have replaced the 16:16 herringbone parlour, which wasn’t in bad shape apart from the ageing stall work. “We needed to be less reliant on labour and ‘future proof’ our business. And the robots allow us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Our routine doesn’t now revolve around milking, which is just one aspect of dairying.“There’s still a lot to do – the robots need cleaning every day, as do the cubicles beds. And there’s feeding, calving,

Moving away from cheese production and setting up a larger

herd, rather than running two smaller units, are just a couple

of the major changes recently undertaken by a Somerset-based

family in a bid to build a business for the future.

text Rachael Porter

Rob GreenIt’s been a busy few years with plenty of changes on this family unit. And the herd and business are now set for a more productive and effi cient future.

Herd size: 250 cows plus followersAverage yield: 10,000kgRobotic milkers: Four unitsAverage heifer yield: 32 litres per day

Robots reduce reliance on labour and free up time to spend on dairy husbandry

H E R D R E P O R T


Glastonbury

cm04-herd report.indd 14 17-06-16 14:35

fertility and health to keep an eye on. But that’s the point – we have more time to spend on actually managing the cows and, as a result, we’re improving in all those areas.”

Management skillsIn fact, Rob says that the robotic system has actually served to ‘sharpen up’ their management skills: “Because there’s twice as much data on the herd available now compared to previously, thanks to the fully computerised milking and constant monitoring. Management is now more ‘involved’ and there’s certainly no time to rest on our laurels – if anything we’ve gone up a gear. Some producers who’ve installed robots have said that you need to tear up the rule book on everything you know about cows and start again. And I’d be inclined to agree.“Cows and heifers have to go into the milking herd in good shape and able to

milk and get back into calf as quickly as possible. Full udders, in early- and mid- lactation, mean that they visit the robot more frequently, they milk well in the system and it also ensures that they get enough feed. Minimising the number of ‘average’ lactation days, by maintaining a tight calving interval, defi nitely reduces problems.”Rob is certainly pleased with the ‘early warning’ he gets from the robotic system’s individual quarter conductivity monitors. “Not only do these pick up any mastitis quickly, but they also fl ag up issues such as decreased milk yield. It allows us to respond rapidly and halt a drop in milk before it becomes an issue. And mastitis cases are also easier to treat, because we’re able to tackle them quickly. I hope we’ll get to a point when we rarely see a case of mastitis,” says Rob, adding that the herd’s somatic cell count is currently less than 100,000 cells/ml and

milk is sold to local buyer and cheese producer Barbers. The NMR-recorded herd is averaging around 10,000kg – impressive for a herd that comprises 50% heifers. “Yields increased when we started milking through the robots – by between 5% and 10% – which is the result of the early lactation cows and heifers visiting the milking units between four and fi ve times a day. A large proportion of the herd are heifers, so we’re excited about the yields we could be seeing this time next year. We’ve yet to see the true potential of the herd.”

Effi ciency focusAverage yields for the herd, which calves all year round, is 38 litres for cows and 32 litres for heifers. The Greens are happy where they are in terms of milk yield and cow numbers: “The cows aren’t under too much pressure – and neither are we. They’re milking well and we have time to focus on health and other aspects of husbandry to maximise the productivity and effi ciency of the cows that we do have,” says Rob.“Our focus, now the new set up is up and running, is on maximising output and effi ciency. And with the pressure of milking twice a day through a conventional parlour now a thing of the past, we have the time to do that. We can really focus on making sure that everything else – health, nutrition and fertility – are spot on.“And with more heifers yet to calve and join the milking herd, it’ll be an exciting time for us for a while to come yet.” l

Robotic milking: just one of the four automatic units at Court Barn


New shed: built on a greenfi eld site, cow housing also accommodates four milking robots and two robotic passage scrapers

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Zero grazing means lower feed and forage costs

Cost control with zero grazing

Reducing feed costs was at the root of the decision to zero graze the 150-

cow Hydaway herd of pedigree Holsteins, based at Harleston near Tamworth in Staffordshire, in 2015 and Steve Hill and his family have seen the benefits across the board.“Cows are housed all year round for biosecurity reasons and to keep the robot busy, and we cannot afford to feed a winter ration every day of the year at these low milk prices,” says Steve. “So, in May 2015, we made the decision to move to zero grazing and have made significant savings on both our feed costs and silage costs as a results.” Steve, who runs the herd with three generations of his family at Acacia Grove Farm, made the move to robotic milking seven years ago and sell 50 fresh-calved

heifers and 30 breeding bulls from the herd each year. The cows, which have an average yield of 30 litres per day, are fed 5kg of ForFarmers’ dairy compound in the robot per day, 16kg of maize, and harvested grass to appetite.

Cost savingThe higher protein available in the young grass has been one of the largest cost savings associated with the move to zero grazing. “Now we don’t buy any protein blend for nine months of the year,” explains Steve. “In summer 2015 we saved around £4,000 a month.”Steve and his son Tom work closely with ForFarmers’ Roger Marley, to balance the zero grass with the appropriate concentrate feed. “We’ve pretty much halved contractor costs as well, as we’ve

taken silage cuts down from four to two. In 2015 we zero grazed until November 20 and started again this year in March. We simply don’t need the amount of silage we did,” explains Steve.The Hill family use a zero grazer machine: “The grass isn’t processed or crushed and stacked like it is when you use a mower and forage wagon,” says Tom. “We make sure we don’t lose any of the quality in the grass that we put in front of the cows.“We can also use our grass to manipulate milk quality and maintain the parameters of our milk buyer’s A and B

An increasing number of producers are moving to zero grazing

systems and are successfully reaping the benefits of reduced

feed costs and producing more milk from forage.

text Emily Ball

F E E D I N G

Silage cuts at Acacia Grove Farm have been reduced from four to two

Rod MacBean installed two robotic milkers in 2010

At Rod MacBean’s Brookhurst Farm, the herd’s second meal of the day is fresh grass placed along the feed barrier

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Cost control with zero grazingcontract. We are now penalised for sending milk with butterfat below 3.8% and have managed this by, at times, feeding slightly older and longer grass to help hit butterfat targets, and to stop sending any ‘B’ litres away. Then, if we need to add some extra volume, we can feed shorter and leafier grass to increase yields. It gives us flexibility within the system,” he explains.

Fresh grassAdopting zero grazing and adding fresh grass to his herd’s TMR has enabled one Shropshire-based producer to increase milk from forage and reduce feed costs. Rod MacBean milks 200 cows, with an average yield of 7,800 litres per year, at Brookhurst Farm, in Wem near Shrewsbury. He installed two Fullwood Merlin robot milkers on a greenfield site in 2010. Rod has been zero grazing since adding the robots, deciding early on to bring the grass to the cows rather than paying for silage making and storage.The cows are split into three groups. Two groups have access to a robot each, the 55 fresh calvers and a mid-lactation group of about 65, which also has access to a loafing paddock. These two groups are both zero grazed. The third group, comprising cows at the end of lactation, graze and are milked through the unit’s old manual parlour. “We do find that the cows can get a bit lazy with the robots towards the end

of their lactation so the final group is very handy,” explains Rod. “There is also, occasionally, a cow that simply will not get on with the robot and the grazing group allows us to keep her in the herd.” Rod and his team cut the grass for zero grazing at about 11am each day, but can delay if the weather is really wet. The grass is feed out to the cows twice a day. The first feed forms part of a TMR, with each cow receiving 12kg of grass, 2kg of hay and 1kg of straw to manage dry matter, fibre content and butterfat. It

also contains 6kg of brewers’ grains and 2kg of a bespoke ForFarmers’ blend. The grass is the final ingredient to be added to the mixer wagon, in order to preserve its chop length. This grass has been harvested the day before and is left to wilt until it is fed out the next morning.For the second feed of the day, fresh grass is placed down the feed barrier with the grab.

Great flexibilityRod works also with Roger Marley to manage the cow ration: “Roger knows what we are trying to achieve here. We work on the diet together and he suggests possible feeds that we can try, using the TMR, giving us great flexibility and cost control,” says Rod. “Mixing some of the grass in with the TMR gives the cows that complete diet and enables us to control exactly what the cows are eating. Roger has helped us manage the quality and availability of grass by using a plate meter measuring tool.“Although the zero grazing cows are split into two groups, in order to manage the robots and loafing area, we also feed a ForFarmers’ dairy compound, on an individual cow basis, via the robots and out-of-parlour feeders. It’s an accurate way of feeding and makes sure we can eliminate waste. We also cut 95% of our grass field area in May and still cut 95% in October, we don’t suffer the wastage associated with rejection sites.” l

The availability of grass on Rod MacBean’s unit is measured using a plate meter

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There are two very important dates in the dairy-producer calendar. They both fall in May (usually), which makes May such an

important month. The first date applies to those of us who try to make the most of grazed grass and measure the amount of grass we have, with a plate meter. Because we know how much grass we have, and we know how much grass the herd needs each day, there comes a day in May when the grass is growing faster than the cows will eat it. This day is often called ‘magic day’. It’s time for bold decisions. It’s time to get the mower out. If you are to present the herd with the very best grass every day then you have to sort of leapfrog an area and conserve it. If you don’t then the grass goes past its best and milk yields suffer. Unless the date coincides with your date for first-cut clamp silage, we find it best to bale and wrap this ‘magic day’ grass. It’s cut at its best feed value stage and if the weather turns dry later in the summer then you couldn’t have anything better to feed back to your cows. It’s a neat solution – you simply take grass out of the grazing area when there’s too much and then feed it back when it’s less plentiful.The other important date in May is when the spring flush reaches its height. It’s a date that usually falls around the middle of May. The actual size of that flush is more important than the date and, a bit like ‘magic day’, what happens then has an impact on the rest of the year. Years ago, before the opening of Westbury, the size of flush almost exactly coincided with the capacity of the industry to deal with it. To deal with it, there were a few weeks when plant had to run flat out and if it broke down, and it often did, the repercussions were serious. Tankers found themselves in 24-hour queues and occasionally milk was sent to Ireland. It was called ‘distressed’ milk. That always struck me as a strange term, but the value of the milk after you got it there was certainly depressing. All this history has a relevance today because a few months ago, even with Westbury’s significant size, commentators were predicting that there might be too much milk for the UK’s capacity. They were also predicting a spot milk price of 10ppl! I daren’t think what spot milk would have been worth if it had had to go to Ireland. Probably 7ppl. Getting it to Ireland is only a short-term fix. Both here and there, processors would take the opportunity of a quick profit by making it into curd or mild cheddar. And that product would over supply the market and depress milk values for months.Because of publication time lags, it’s difficult to be too specific. But because of a late spring we haven’t seen too much milk and we haven’t yet seen the price drop to 10ppl. But if it had been a warmer spring then we might have – with catastrophic repercussions. As an industry we don’t have the self discipline to manage volumes. Being let off the quota lead hasn’t worked for us. As I write today, spot milk is worth between 15ppl and 16ppl. We have the weather to thank for that. Can we rely on it next year? I doubt it.

Shropshire-based producer and award-winning

columnist Roger Evans says that he believes that a

cool spring has served to prevent further milk-price

misery for UK producers.

Magic May

A F E W W O R D S F R O M R O G E R E V A N S


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New Johne’s risk assessment toolNML has a new risk assessment tool to help vets and producers measure the risks of Johne’s disease infection and spread in their herd. The tool uses a questionnaire, which is fi lled in by the producer and their vet, to pull together information on their current Johne’s management controls. NML inputs the questionnaire results into the Myhealthyherd web program. A report will then be generated that clearly shows any ‘risk’ areas for Johne’s entry and/or spread in the herd.

The report highlights the areas of highest risk on the farm, allowing the vet and producer to target these areas to improve management. It also shows the likely outcome of the current management plan, in bar-chart format, by predicting the herd’s future Johne’s disease prevalence. “If current management is not robust then this ‘prevalence’ chart will show an increase over time,” says NML vet Karen Bond. On farms with excellent Johne’s control protocols in place, it will show a decrease in the prevalence of the disease. “Understanding and managing the risks of Johne’s entering a herd, and the risks of it spreading once established, are crucial for all producers,” she adds. “Testing is important but it’s not enough. That’s why this new risk assessment tool is set to become an important component in producers’ armoury against Johne’s.”The Johne’s risk assessment tool is free to HerdWise customers or £30 plus VAT to non-customers.

Herd Companion Pro, the online dairy information and management system, is now available free of charge to all NMR full recording customers. It offers producers more reporting options, including key performance indicators

for 18 different parameters, calculated as rolling yearly averages. “It allows producers to monitor the performance of their herd against these indicators and to benchmark with other similar herds,” says NMR’s Cath Smith.

Afi milk is giving away a Silent Herdsman system and 30 collars, worth more than £5,000, to one lucky producer at this year’s Livestock Event. Producers can enter the prize draw on the Afi milk stand – number MK448, or the NMR stand – number BM282. “Afi milk Silent Herdsman is being used very successfully on many UK farms,” says UK product manager Andy Paine “Its health monitoring capabilities and precise heat detection technology are driving herd effi ciency, and contributing to an increase in productive days.”

Johne’s championsFour producers have risen to the top of the HerdWise competition entries and will compete for the annual award. The winner will be announced at the Livestock Event in July.They are T and K Halton, from Congleton in Cheshire, who were runners up in 2015; JM and SE Jackson, from Hinstock in Shropshire; ACF Drax Farm, from Wareham in Dorset; and MA and CJ Beaumont, from Twycross in Leicestershire.Competition judges – NML vet Karen Bond and chairman of the National Johne’s Action Group Lyndon Edwards – will inspect the protocols in place and the progress being made in controlling the disease fi rst hand by visiting each of the fi nalists before naming this year’s winner. The competition is open to all NMR customers who use the CHeCS accredited quarterly milk screening service HerdWise.

Spring starsThe top three ranking cows for lifetime daily yield (LDY) that have passed the 100-tonnes-of-milk threshold in their lifetime, during March and April, are from two Gold Cup herds.Cows from Mike Miller’s Worcestershire herd take the top two places. Shanael Shottle Rosalind EX91 is top with a LDY of 32.77kg per day and 113,787kg of milk in seven lactations.Shanael Blitz Barb is in second place with a LDY of 32.36kg aday and 111,573kg of milk in just fi ve lactations.Wilderley Bradley Queen 4 VG89, from the Higgin’s herd in Shropshire, is in third place with a LDY of 32.28kg per day and 101,372kg of milk in six lactations.

Pro data available for all

Johne’s entry and/or spread in the herd.

Heat detection prize

For more information on NMR products and services contact customer services, 03330 043 043,NMR web address: www.nmr.co.uk, NMR email address: [email protected]


D A I R Y M A N A G E M E N T N E W S

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AGRiPROM

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What’s new? We round up some of the launches

set for this year’s two-day show. Page 26

NMR/RABDF Gold Cup fi nalists: we meet the six

producers vying for the coveted title. Page 28

L I V E S T O C K E V E N T S P E C I A L

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Just a handful of the gadgets and services making their UK debut

Product innovation makes animal health a priority With the Livestock Event just days away, we take a look at

the latest products set to be launched at this year’s two-day

show. Be sure to go see them for yourself at the NEC, in

Birmingham, on July 6 & 7.

text Ben Pike

With the on-going pressure on the dairy industry it’s

unsurprising to see fewer launches of expensive products ahead of this year’s Livestock Event. Instead, the trade has responded by focusing its product pipeline on effi ciencies that can help producers to maximise their bottom line.

Colostrum feedingFollowing a successful launch of the Milkwave Heatwarmer in 2015, Herefordshire-based producers Gill and Alan Dickson have been getting creative again. Their Pyon Store & Thaw system helps producers to harvest, test, label, freeze and thaw colostrum quickly so it can be fed in the fi rst few hours after birth.It comes with two-litre bags that can be frozen and then defrosted on-demand, in just 15 minutes, in the system’s water bath. The pair say testing colostrum quality will allow producers to freeze and feed colostrum rich in immunoglobulins and the freezing

process allows producers to feed quality and quantity conveniently. The system costs around of £1,120.

Better gripA simple solution for producers with slippery sloped fl ooring has been developed by Kraiburg. The rubber fl ooring has a V-shaped raised rib, which improved traction on one Welsh unit for 220 cows who walk on a 17% slope from the cubicle house to the parlour. While the Monta is bolted to the fl oor, it’s not suitable for areas that are cleaned using tractors with scrapers, as these will erode the raised rib. It has an on-farm cost of £37.25 per square metre through UK distributor Kitt Agri.

Cleaner waterJFC has already sold 30,000 Dumpy Tip-Over Drinkers in Ireland and is now launching it to English, Welsh and Scottish producers. Costing £139, each 3.5-litre drinking bowl has a simple mechanism that dumps dirty drinking water and, using its 20-kilogramme weight and gravity, automatically snaps

back into position to be refi lled in one swift movement. About 20 cattle can drink from one bowl and JFC says the product improves drinking water quality and speeds up the job of cleaning out troughs.

Clever modifi cationA ball bearing and tiny spring may sound modest, but ADF Milking’s James Duke says they will optimise the effi cacy of the company’s automatic dipping and fl ushing system. The simple additions to the line – called a dual-injection head – now allows the system to administer dip at an angle, which improves teat coverage.Then, with the cluster removed and the teat cup inverted, sanitiser is sprayed out of the lower injector outlet, disinfecting the liner ready for the next cow.Mr Duke says this modifi ed design can coat the teat using 20% less product and can be retrofi tted to any ADF system.

Minimising riskWith inbreeding in the UK’s Holstein herd now at 5%, AHDB Dairy is making strides to halt and reverse this worrying trend. The recommended maximum level in the UK is 6.25%, and levy-payers are being urged to sign up to a free on-line service that will alert producers to a potential risk of inbreeding before mating. It looks at data held on the dam and the sire to highlight lower-risk breedings. Herds must be milk recorded and registered with AHDB Dairy to use the Herd Genetic report.

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Free ticketsWhen: July 6 and 7, 2016Where: NEC, BirminghamFree tickets: To help attract producers who have been hit by huge price drops in recent months, a free ticket to the show has been sent to every dairy farm in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Get your tickets online atwww.livestockevent.co.uk

JULY 6 & 7

Johne’s toolNML is launching a tool to help producers assess the risks of Johne’s disease infection and spread in their herd. Producers and their vets fi ll in a simple questionnaire on current management controls from which NML creates a report. It is scored in a traffi c-light system to highlight shortcomings in the herd’s Johne’s control programme.A bar chart is displayed to show what the likely Johne’s prevalence will be using the unit’s current management plan. Reports are free for NML’s Herdwise customers, or £15 plus vet costs to non-customers.

Automatic sprayingAn automated teat sprayer for rotary milking parlours has been launched by Hoofcount. The sprayer detects the position of the rotary bail, senses a cow is present and then extends the sprayer under the udder. In seconds, the sprayer administers between 15ml and 18ml of teat spray without impeding parlour workers, before retracting back into position. Anthony Marsh, who developed the product, says that accurate teat coverage with a minimal amount of spray can save hundreds of pounds a month on large-scale rotary parlours. “On a 1,000-cow herd, milking 24 hours a day, the pay back period is just two months,” he said, adding that the installed cost is £5,000. The spray arm can operate either pre or post milking, and some customers now have both installed to reduce the risk of mastitis.

Heat detectionNorthern Dairy Solutions says that its HerdInsights cow collar can detect heat with 97% accuracy. It works by recognising gestures and behavioural activity of cattle, which are picked up by pre-programmed algorithms. It then sends an alert to the producer. It also identifi es when an animal is cystic, anestrous or unwell and

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sends an alert text to a smartphone app. It costs £120 per collar, with a life expectancy of fi ve years, and producer will also need a base station to pick up the signal, which costs £2,500 or £3,500 depending on whether it’s situated outside or inside.

Simple dispensingNot one for complicated on-farm solutions, Graham Shepherd Animal Health has simplifi ed the process of dispensing teat disinfectant and cluster fl ush fl uids.The iCod – or infection control on-demand – idea comprises three elements; a concentrated form of disinfectant chlorine dioxide, a concentrated teat skin conditioner, and dosing equipment. Buying in concentrated form reduces costs incurred by transporting, and packaging or using ready-mixed solutions, according to Mr Shepherd. The pre-milking teat disinfectant costs around £275 per 1,000 litres, a post-milking disinfectant costs £360 per 1,000 litres, and cluster fl ush costs £25 per 1,000 litres.

Easy scoringDeLaval says its latest 3D camera technology will take the inconsistency and inaccuracy out of body condition scoring. Once a cow passes under the camera, the system recognises the movement and selects the best still image of the cow in the video sequence. The image is then converted into an accurate body condition score.Hugh Black from DeLaval said: “BCS can be tricky and subjective. It is not always done regularly and staff are not always good at it.” He added that the technology, which costs about £4,500, takes the guess work out of the process and talks directly to the herd management system. The system only recognises Holstein and Fleckvieh cattle at present, but is being developed to support other breeds. l

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This year’s Gold Cup judges – RABDF chairman and former Gold Cup

winner Michael King, NMR director Jonathan Davies and 2013 Gold Cup winners Andrew and Bill Higgins – will announce the winner of the 2016 Gold Cup and the runner up, who receives the NMR silver salver, on the NMR stand at the Livestock Event, NEC Birmingham at 4.30pm on Wednesday July 6.

Tough choice as judges narrow fi eld to six for industry’s top award

Simon Bugler runs the pedigree Holstein Bettiscombe herd, comprising 570 cows and 700 followers, with his parents Roland and Heather. Twelve full-time employees help to run the 295-hectare unit, with a further 142 hectares of rented land for young stock and forage. Cows are housed all year round – a move that Simon says has improved cattle health as well as lifting yields. Cases of mastitis are currently 20 per 100 cows, and somatic cell count runs at 111,000 cells/ml and Bactoscan at 6.The herd averaged 11,260kg of milk at 3.56% butterfat and 3.10% protein on three-times-a-day milking in the Gold Cup qualifying year to September 2015. Calving interval is 380 days. Since then

average yield has crept above 11,600kg and cell counts have fallen. The Buglers believe that a 13,000kg herd average is achievable, but they would not sacrifi ce herd health and fertility to get there.“We want cows that can produce milk, get in calf and maintain a good level of health throughout the lactation,” says Simon. “We mobility score the cows and the vet visits weekly. And we vaccinate for BVD, Leptospirosis, salmonella and IBR. Johne’s is also monitored and we have a control plan.”Simon has cut antibiotic use at drying off and now up to 95% of the dry cows have no antibiotic treatment, just a teat sealant. Milk is sold to Muller on a Sainsbury’s contract.

Simon Bugler, Pilsdon, Bridport, Dorset

Six dairy units have made it into the fi nal of the 2016 NMR/

RABDF Gold Cup competition. Tough decisions now face

this year’s judges as they decide who makes the best use of

resources to achieve high performance and, with a strong

commitment to dairying, is an ambassador for our industry.

text Karen Wright

Six of Britain’s best

David Irwin not only runs a high yielding and high health status herd, but he has also built up an enviable reputation for selling high quality breeding stock – worth in excess of 5ppl to his business.He farms in partnership with his parents David and Sylvia Irwin and, along with two full-time staff, they run the pedigree Redhouse Holstein herd of 170 autumn/winter calving cows plus followers. The 93-hectare unit is mainly down to grass with 20 hectares of spring barley grown used in the dairy rations. The milking herd is fully housed and averages 12,300kg milk at 3.84% fat and 3.21% protein on three-times-a-day milking.

David is very much an early adopter of technology and husbandry techniques that can improve the performance of his herd. Recent investments have included a Westfalia heat detection system to improve submission rates to AI; a switch to triangular vented liners in the milking clusters to improve teat end condition; CCTV in the calving pens; and new headlock gates in calving pens to aid handling and allow milking in situ so colostrum can be fed within an hour of birth.Overall feed costs are running at 8.5ppl against a March milk price of 21.5ppl. Milk is sold to Fane Valley Co-op.

David Irwin, Dungannon, Tyrone

28



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Brian Yates has made the fi nal for the second year running. With wife Sheila, and children Michael and Anna, he runs the 280-cow pedigree Logan Holstein herd on a 137-hectare unit. Housed all year round and fed a

Michael and Brian Yates

Richard and Grant Walker

Brian, Sheila and Michael Yates, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire

Richard and Grant Walker farm in partnership with their mother Shona and together they run a herd of 500 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows on their 329-hectare grass and arable unit. During the past four years,

Richard and Grant Walker, Thornhill, Dumfriesshire

TMR, average yield was 12,273kg of milk at 3.83% butterfat and 3.09% protein on three-times-a-day milking, with a cell count of 102,000 cells/ml.Impressive yields are fuelled by feeding a consistent ration and benchmarking

the performance of the herd. “We monitor the ration on a daily basis and changes can be implemented – remotely if necessary,” explains Brian. “Our feed conversion effi ciency stands at 1.58 litres per kilogramme of feed – well above the average for Scotland.”The herd calves all year round. In-calf rate 100 days post calving stands at an impressive 53%, with just 6% of cows not in calf by 200 days, thanks in part to their pedometers and parlour technology that helps with heat detection. Cow health and welfare are also key to success and they have recently invested in an extra 40 cubicles to create more space. The mastitis rate stands at just 10 cases per 100 cows and the average cell count has dropped to below 85,000 cells/ml for the past 10 months.“It’s little tweaks here and there that make the difference,” he adds. “There’s rarely one thing that good health or fertility hinges on, but there are always things that can be improved.”

since the brothers returned from university, there has been substantial investment in farm infrastructure and the herd has increased threefold. Richard and Grant head up a young enthusiastic team of fi ve other full-time

staff. The herd averaged 10,575kg of milk at 3.88% fat and 3.33% protein on a fl at-rate TMR system. “Cow health and fertility are the key to the success of our business. If we keep the cows in good condition, everything else falls into place,” says Richard. “Our rations minimise body condition loss in early lactation, because this determines how quickly cows get back in calf and reduces the risk of metabolic disorders and other health issues.” They feed a consistent TMR for the whole lactation, aiming for a daily intake of 24.5kg DM of a 17.4% CP ration based on high quality grass and whole crop silages, plus home blended straights. This provides 290MJ ME/cow/day. An impressive 62% of cows are back in calf at 100 days and the herd’s calving interval stands at 382 days.Milk is sold to the Muller Wiseman’s Co-op Dairy Group and the brothers are involved in the Co-op’s Farming Pioneers project.


Want to fi nd out more about each of this year’s fi nalists? Read a full report on NMR’s website, at www.nmr.co.uk and see who you think should win the coveted title in 2016.


Tomos Davies farms in partnership with his father Glyn and mother Myrtle and runs 325 milkers, plus 230 young stock on a TMR system. The Holstein herd’s average production, for the year ending September 2015, was 12, 109kg at 3.92% butterfat and 3.21% protein, with a somatic cell count of 191, 000 cells/ml. Yields have certainly increased during the past few years due to consistent feeding and a switch to three-times-a-day milking. “We added an extra milking in October 2013 and not all the team were keen. So we agreedthat we’d give it a go and I said that if it didn’t work out then we’d stop the third milking on Christmas Eve, ” explains Tomos. The team hasn’t looked back since – and neither has the herd. “The expected extra 10% in yield was more than 20%. Heifers are producing 30% more milk than they would on twice-a-day milking. “Making the switch means that we’ve been able to double our output

Tomos Davies, Talog, Carmarthen

Adrian McFarland farms in partnership with his wife Sharon and they have been joined on the farm part time by their eldest son Ryan, post university. They run a herd of 106 Holstein Friesian cows plus followers on their 64-hectare unit.The herd calves from September to March and is TMR and parlour fed in winter and grazed in summer to produce an average of 8,069kg milk at 4.2% fat and 3.28% protein, with a cell count of 101,000 cells/ml. Milk is sold to United Dairy Farmers.High annual rainfall, in excess of 1,300mm, makes for challenging grazing and forage making conditions. “Three years ago we invested in our own forage wagon, which has allowed us to take advantage of the few dry windows in the season and to make high quality silage,” Adrian explains. In addition Adrian and Ryan have focused heavily on improving soil fertility through extensive sampling and targeted use of fertiliser to optimise grass growth and quality. They hope that this will take them close to their target forage yield of 18t DM/ha. A combination of high D-value

Adrian McFarland, Omagh, Co Tyrone grass silage and well managed strip grazing means that the herd is averaging 1,835 litres of milk from forage per cow (3,443 litres per hectare), which is an improvement of 800 litres per cow in just 12 months.A closed herd, cows are vaccinated for Leptospirosis, BVD and IBR, as well as being routinely monitored for their Johne’s disease status through NMR’s

HerdWise scheme. A combination of a scrupulous parlour routine, with pre and post dipping, breeding for low cell count and housing hygiene keeps mastitis rates low at just eight cases per 100 cows. Fertility performance is also good, with 55% of cows in calf by 100 days post calving and only 4% recorded empty at 200 days.

without taking on more land, ” he says, adding that they own 80 hectares and rent a further 65 hectares. Fertility has also improved. Calving interval has dropped by 14 days in two years to 406 days, with a target of 390

days. The mastitis rate is 16 cases per 100 cows and big improvements have been made to young stock health and growth rates since they employed a dedicated calf rearer. Milk is sold to Muller Direct Milk.

Adrian, Ryan and Sharon McFarland

Tomos, Glyn and Myrtle Davies




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Livestock2016 A4Advertentie01.indd 43 16-06-16 10:51

Careful sire selection adds balance – and longevity – to black-and-white herd

Trouble-free cows offer yield and longevity

Size matters to Philip Hill when it comes to his 127-cow Holstein Friesian

herd and 55 followers. It was the starting point for a breeding policy that’s radically changed the type of cow he now milks on his unit at Lilleshall, near Newport in Shropshire.

The British Friesian herd was established by his father, Frank, in the 1960s and has been closed since 1971.

Insight: genetic foundations “We wanted the milk production of the Holstein but not their rangy frames

and stature. We didn’t want the cows to become too tall for the unit’s housing and other facilities or losing their body condition. We used a lot of F16 semen – a great sire for milk production. His daughters were the right size, but we were losing chest width and body capacity,” explains Philip.So 15 years ago, using SireMatch and additional advice from Richard Williams at CRV Avoncroft, Philip began using Holstein Friesian bulls offering less that one standard deviation above the average for stature, while at the same time selecting for plus fat and protein, a high PLI and a plus on milk yield.Today, all sires are selected on PLI fi rst, as stature is also now included in that

A move to more balanced breeding has resulted in a longer-life,

trouble-free herd for one Shropshire-based producer. And he

has his sights on breeding to improve feed conversion effi ciency

and his bottom line.

text Rachael Porter

B R E E D I N G

Philip HillSelecting sires to increase the health, fertility and longevity of the dairy herd is paying dividends on this Shropshire-based family-run unit.

T H E P L A N O F . . .

Herd size: 127 cows plus followersAverage yield: 8,295 litresMilk from forage: 3,651 litresAverage herd lifespan: 5.6 lactations

Lilleshall,Shropshire


cm04-CRV feature.indd 34 17-06-16 14:19

calculation. Richard also pulls out sires with good conformation – namely better udders, feet and legs – which all play a key role in increasing longevity. “Stature is still important. But I’m looking for a cow that is compact, with a deep body and chest width that offers capacity for plenty of forage.“Thanks to SireMatch, we’re avoiding inbreeding issues and we’re also better able to refine our sire selection and match bulls to individual cows and heifers,” adds Philip.

Plan: easy-to-manage herdPhilip explains that herd size is also important – land is a limiting factor where he farms: “So it’s very much about maximising our profit per hectare and improving efficiency. We want our cows to be more productive – and by that I mean complete more lactations in the herd. We can’t push up cow numbers. We’re looking for the cows that we do have to give us the highest returns possible.”With that in mind, the change in breeding policy – and the type of cow that Philip is now milking – has not only resulted in a robust and productive herd of cattle, but have also helped the herd and business to better adapt to the current milk-price crisis. ‘Trouble-free’ cows sums up Philip’s breeding goal. “I want to milk a herd where no particular cows stand out as being ‘trouble’ or difficult to manage in terms of their health or fertility. I want them all to ‘fly under the radar’, so to speak.”He’s not far off that goal and says that, at the moment, there are just a few cows that come to mind when he thinks of the herd. The remainder just get on with their lactations with minimal fuss and stress.The herd is managed on what Philip describes as a ‘middle of the road’ system. “We’re not chasing milk from forage or taking the intensive route,” he explains.The herd calves all year round and the higher yielders are buffer fed during the summer. “Feeding is based on a grass silage and wholecrop ration. We’ve stopped growing maize for the herd.”May 2016 figures show an average yield of 8,295 litres at 4.52% butterfat and 3.35% protein. Milk from forage stands at a respectable 3,651 litres – up 300 litres compared to May 2015 and 1,300 litres compared to 2014. “So that’s moving in the right direction. My target is 4,000 litres and breeding for capacity will help there,” says Philip, who sells milk to Arla.

“The cows certainly have a big appetite for good forage.”Fertility is good too, with 48% conceiving to first service. And Philip says that mastitis rates are also low.

Improve: greater efficiencyHe’s also looking to improve longevity. The current cow average is 5.6 lactations – that’s 49,400 litres. “The girls are almost hitting the 50,000-litre target that

I set 10 years ago. So we’ve been moving in the right direction. I’ve many cows that have produced more than that and are still milking well. I’ve had a few hit the 100-tonne milestone and one cow that’s about to hit that target is a 12 year old in her tenth lactation. There’s no doubt that the breed strategy that we’ve adopted is working.”He has heifers that are about to calve to Pilot, Impuls, McCormick and Levi. Sires in the AI flask include Rocky and Atlantic. “I’m very much into genomic sires now – rather than daughter proven. It’s possible to select from a wide range of sires and still get the reliability that’s key to our continued success. We’re able to make faster genetic progress, without the risk. It’s possible to speed up the rate of gain without compromise.”As Philip’s at his limit in terms of cow numbers and he’s almost reached his milk from forage and longevity targets, he’s now set his sights on feed conversion efficiency. “I’m looking to select sires that will allow me to make big strides here and further increase my returns per hectare and the business’ bottom line.”He says that his replacement rate is also falling, as better quality heifers join the milking herd each year. The percentage of heifers in the herd stand at 16.5% and his voluntary and involuntary cull rate totals 15%. “I want to see this at around 10%. Who knows, we may then be in a position to sell some replacement heifers.” l

T H E P L A N I N A C T I O N

What traits are key to suit the management of Philip Hill’s herd?

EfficiencyEfficiency is the most important, in order to produce as much milk from as few cows as possible.

LongevityProfitable cows combine high production with good longevity.

HealthA healthy cow is usually more efficient and an efficient cow has to be healthy.

FertilityFertility is important as poor fertility is one of the most important reasons for culling cows.

LONGEVITY

PR

OD

UC

TIO

N

EFFICIENCY

FERTILITY

HEA

LTH

Philip Hill: “I’m selecting sires that will help me to improve the business’ bottom line”


cm04-CRV feature.indd 35 17-06-16 14:19

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Feed intakes and heat stressAny prolonged exposure to temperatures in excess of 21°C – particularly when combined with high humidity – will result in a negative impact on cow performance. To limit the impact of heat stress on the performance of your herd, one of the challenges you need to tackle is a reduction in feed intakes. This can decline as much as 12% when temperatures exceed 25°C.When cows are suffering from heat stress they will be less inclined to eat, to limit the amount of heat energy they produce when digesting feed. In high temperatures, cows also tend to sift feed and focus on intake of easily digestible concentrates, rather

Some producers are experiencing a shortage of grass, after a cold and wet spring, while others may have shortfalls this year due to dry conditions. Brewers’ grains can provide a cost effective feed to help plug this ‘gap’ in grass provision. “While grass and grass silage have been one of the lowest cost feeds available, current prices for larger deliveries of brewers’ grains offer a comparable alternative,” says general manager of ForFarmers’ dry, moist and liquid feeds division, Neil McInnes.“Producers can make a bulk order of brewers’ grains now, at good prices, to put in a clamp ready to use later in the year to help supplement grazing and grass silage supplies.” The relative cost of brewers’ grains

Moist grains help to compensate for grass-growth shortfall

It’s all about the weatherWe are now fully into a US weather market as the funds believe that demand will be driven from South America to the US due to the rains in Argentina causing crop losses, which has also led to fears of poor quality beans. The Argentinian harvest is now 79% complete, versus 94% at this time in 2015, and the US plantings are only marginally behind the five-year average. However, once again, it’s all about the weather, according to ForFarmers’ Phil Watkins.Until three days ago, the funds felt that the dry weather in the US would aid planting and increase acreage. They have now turned so, from now onwards, further dry US weather will be deemed as a risk to crop production and is likely to firm this market further. Active world demand with China buying in US crop, due to tight South America supply, means the market continues to move up.Nearby rapemeal values have remained relatively unchanged, but the new crop has firmed alongside the soya market.Wheat distillers’ continue to represent good value against firm rapemeal and soya markets, particularly as they contain good levels of energy as well as protein. The next few months for soya hulls are very firm as delayed vessels out of Argentina have tightened up the supply chain. Forward positions are still looking reasonable, but sugarbeet values have firmed on the back of this with some ports now confirming that they have sold out for the summer. We see limited downside on imported material for the summer, so it’s now probably worth looking at home-produced sugarbeet.

compared to forage sources is even more promising when dry matter losses during grazing and silage harvesting, transportation, storage and feed out, are all taken into consideration. “Grazed grass has the highest level of loss at 25% utilised dry matter compared to 10% for zero-grazing and 17% for conventional silage,” says Mr McInnes. “These hidden costs, even to grazed grass, are ones that producers aren’t always aware of and don’t always consider when looking at relative feed costs.” For more information about brewers’ grains and how they could be used to support your dairy business, please call ForFarmers DML on 0870 0500 306 or email [email protected].

than forage. This can lead to the development of acidosis due to low rumen pH. Aim to feed between 60% and 70% of rations between 8pm and 8am, when temperatures are cooler. Research has shown that by feeding at these times, producers can increase feed intakes and milk production of their herd during spells of hot weather. Increasing the energy density of your herd’s ration, by using C16 or hydrogenated fats, will also help to offset lower dry matter intakes and maintain milk quality. Also consider the use of a rumen buffer, live yeast or rock salt to buffer rumen pH to maintain cow health and performance.

N U T R I T I O N A L N E W S


cm04-for farmers news.indd 37 17-06-16 14:14


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The Reference in Prevention for Animal Health

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STARTVAC®, Polyvalent inactivated vaccine, bovine mastitis, in injectable emulsion. Composition: Escherichia coli (J5) inactivated > 50 RED60* Staphylococcus aureus (CP8) strain SP 140 inactivated, expressing Slime Associated Antigenic Complex (SAAC) > 50 RED80** *RED60: Rabbit effective dose in 60 % of the animals (serology). ** RED80: Rabbit effective dose in 80 % of the animals (serology). Indications: For use in healthy cows and heifers, in dairy cattle herds with recurring mastitis problems, to reduce the incidence and the severity of the signs of clinical or sub-clinical mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, coliforms or coagulase-negative staphylococci. Administration route: Intramuscular use. The vaccinations should be preferably administered on the alternate sides of the neck. Dosage: Administer one dose (2 ml) by deep intramuscular injection in the neck muscles at 45 days before the expected parturition date and 1 month thereafter administer a second dose (at least 10 days before calving). A third dose should be administered 2 months thereafter. The full immunization program should be repeated with each gestation. Side effects & Contraindications: Adverse reactions: Slight to moderate transient local reactions may occur after the administration of one dose of vaccine. They would mainly be: swelling (up to 5 cm2 on average), which disappears within 1 or 2 weeks at most. In some cases, there may also be pain at the inoculation site that spontaneously subsides in a maximum of 4 days. Animals vaccinated with an overdose did not show adverse reactions other than those observed after the administration of one dose of vaccine. Contraindications: None. Withdrawal period: Milk: None. Special Precautions: Only healthy animals should be vaccinated. Allow the vaccine to reach a temperature of +15 °C to +25 °C before administration. Shake before use. Special precautions for the person administering the medicament: This product contains mineral oil. Accidental injection/self injection may result in severe pain and swelling, particularly if injected into a joint or �nger, and in rare cases could result in the loss of the affected �nger if prompt medical attention is not given. Can be used during pregnancy and lactation. Store and transport refrigerated (+2 °C to +8 °C) and protected from light. Do not freeze. Further information available from SPC. Packaging: Cardboard box with 20 vials of 1 dose. Cardboard box with 1 vial of 5 doses. Cardboard box with 1 vial of 25 doses. Under veterinary prescription. Marketing Authorization Numbers: EU/2/08/092/003; EU/2/08/092/004; 2/08/092/006. Marketing authorisation holder: LABORATORIOS HIPRA, S.A. Avda. la Selva, 135. 17170 Amer (Girona) Spain. Tel. (972) 430660 – Fax (972) 430661. Local representative: Hipra UK & Ireland Ltd. Innovation Centre, Bio City – Nottingham, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GF. Legal category: UK: POM-V . ROI: POM. Use medicines responsibly.

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* Andrew Bradley et al. An investigation of the ef�cacy of a polyvalent mastitis vaccine using different vaccination regimens under �eld conditions in the United Kingdom. J. Dairy Sci. 2015; 98: 1706–1720

VACCINE FOR MASTITIS IN CATTLE

pmsaStarvacHIPRA_300516.indd 1 2/6/16 12:54

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The observations from dairymen, with herds as far apart as Scotland, Northern Ireland and Cornwall are supporting the benefi ts of vaccination for mastitis. Their acknowledgement of the practical improvements being achieved, by including Startvac in their mastitis control management, supports the research and technical e� ort that has been carried out. Achieving good results under UK conditions has challenged the success of vaccines previously and the availability of a proven product has arrived at a signifi cant time.

The whole food industry is under pressure to reduce the amount of antibiotics being administered to food producing animals. Dairy farmers are responding by selecting other options to dry cow therapy. It is advised to treat clinical cases with products that are less likely to lead to concerns about antibiotic resistant bacteria. Farming in Northern Ireland the comment from the O’Neill family, following Startvac use, that ‘milking tube usage is down around 30% and although we get some clinical outbreaks they are a lot easier to clear up’ is extremely encouraging. If their success were repeated all over the country the milk buyers and processors would be well pleased.

Deldoldrum Farm in Montrose has won many awards for health and welfare and management of the 630 Holstein Friesians. Despite their achievements it was a matter of pride to reduce the cell count further and have fewer clinical cases of mastitis. Gregor Colquhoun records that the number of clinical cases has fallen since using Startvac and that the severity of cases is less, with a shorter duration of treatment typically required. Fewer cows having to be culled for mastitis is also noted.

The situation with a 450 cow herd near Truro, Cornwall, led to detailed discussions and analysis with their veterinary surgeon, Kumar Sivam. The herd is milked through seven robots and mastitis cases have been caused by Strep. uberis, E.Coli, Klebsiella and Staph. aureus. In order to reduce the environmental organism contamination, attention has been given to the automatic scrapers and to the rubber mat, sawdust and hydrated lime cubicles. The owner John Acland and Tom the herdsman have acted on the advice received from the vet that included administering Startvac. Although the new programme has only been in operation for a few months the initial results are encouraging. The Somatic Cell Count and Bactoscan results have been the lowest for two and a half years. Financially the

fi gures support the general feeling of improvement and that the additional e� ort and cost is saving money.

Albert and Wesley O’Neill, in partnership with their father John, milk 200 Montbelliard Holstein crosses at Ballymagorry, Co. Tyrone. Cows have been milked at the farm since 1906 and the autumn calving herd produces 8,600 litres per cow per year with a somatic cell count of around 140,000. The number of clinical mastitis cases in early lactation was a problem with one or two cows being lost to the disease. In depth discussions with their veterinary surgeon, Keith Sheridan, led to a change of approach from June 2013 and the introduction of Startvac. The reduction in early lactation mastitis and ease of treatment is recorded but also they have not lost any quarters since the programme began.

Analysis of the UK research has shown that the severity of mastitis cases reduces further as the number of vaccine injections increases. The science indicates that the vaccine inhibits the organisms from developing and the natural immune system of the cow is able to limit the attack of the bacteria on the udder. Cows receive less of a clinical impact and so recover more quickly. Fewer cows in the herd become infected for long periods. This outcome reduces the loss of milk from subclinical infections as well as the loss from clinical cases.

There are di� erent approaches to using the vaccine. A series of three injections, two before calving and one in lactation has been shown to be most e� ective but some farmers have elected to operate a group programme to include heifers, lactating cows and dry cows. The vaccine is a prescription only medicine and Hipra o� er a support programme for veterinary surgeons and their clients. The company has developed the vaccine and brought it to the UK market and there are in-house technical specialists available to discuss specifi c herd requirements supported by a milk testing service. Detailed information is available at www.startvac.com.

Richard Gard 24th May 2016

Wesley O’Neill, Keith Sheridan (Parkview Vet Group) and Hugh Gibson (Hipra)

Current Startvac experiences

Starvac juni 2016.indd 39 15-06-16 14:19

Tips on safeguarding – and boosting – heifer immunity both pre and post calving

Protect your heifer investment

Mastitis, metritis, LDAs, ketosis. Just a few of the production diseases

seen in freshly calved heifers that could, on the whole, be avoided through better management, according to Shropshire-based Lambert Leonard and May’s vet Bill May. “But it is not surprising to see these problems – it’s no easy task to support her immune system. There are many pitfalls that producers need to work hard to avoid from birth right through to them joining the milking herd.”He says the majority of problems he sees are ‘post production disease’ fertility issues. “Which inevitably result when health has been compromised. Poor immunity and the inability to avoid production disease and fend off infection, around calving, has a huge impact on fertility and incurs significant cost.”

Rearing periodMr May believes that many immunity issues begin in the rearing period, often before the heifer is even in calf. And West Sussex-based independent dairy vet Rob Drysdale agrees: “It often elicits a groan from producers at heifer rearing workshops when I say it, but feeding enough top quality colostrum to the new born heifer is where it all starts.“And that’s just the beginning. Protecting

her immunity continues throughout the rearing period – any stress or disease can not only cause a check in growth but it can also compromise her ability to fight off infection. So maximising her immunity and preparing her for a trouble-free first calving and lactation is on-going. That’s why it can be so tricky to get it right. “Take your eye off the ball, at any stage during the rearing, pre-calving, calving or post calving period, and it can all unravel. And the money you’ve invested in rearing that heifer could be in jeopardy.”Mr May says that meeting growth targets is, indeed, critical. “I have seen producers with heifers that have missed growth targets subsequently over feed young stock to compensate. This can result in small framed heifers that calve down too fat. In this instance it’s better to concede that targets have been missed and calve heifers slightly older rather than calve them ‘prematurely’ with all the problems that creates. It’s best to learn from the mistake and ‘do better next time’.”So pre and post weaning nutrition is vital. As is nutrition during the run up to calving. “Energy intake needs to be sufficient to prepare her for calving,” says Mr Drysdale. “Her udder is still developing, she’s preparing to produce colostrum and, at this stage, the calf inside her is almost like a parasite. Remember the heifer herself is still growing, while there’s also a calf developing inside her. She needs plenty of energy.”Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care’s vet Debby Brown agrees that heifers need plenty of energy, particularly close up to calving. But she adds that minerals in the pre-calving ration can also play a key role in boosting immunity. “Selenium, zinc, manganese, iodine, and vitamin E are absolutely vital for good immunity, but are often lacking in heifer diets.“Where possible, these minerals should be added to pre-calving rations. Special heifer mineral mixes are available. And, where heifers are at grass, a mineral lick or block containing these key elements could also help to boost levels and alleviate any deficiencies.”

Disease exposureProducers must also bear in mind that, as calving approaches, the heifer’s immunity status may have already been compromised by disease. “She may have had pneumonia, or mycoplasma, when she was younger. Or she may have the beginnings of a summer or heifer mastitis infection,” says Mr Drysdale. “These will

Heifer ‘transition’ can be fraught with problems. But a strong

immune system will go a long way towards protecting the next

generation from both production and infectious diseases and lay

the foundations for a long life in the milking herd. So why, at

and around calving, is it so often compromised on many dairy

units? We spoke to three vets to find out more.

text Rachael Porter

Heifer development: udder growth and colostrum production demand energy

H E A L T H


cm04-heifer immunity.indd 40 17-06-16 14:39

compromise her ability to fend off disease – production or otherwise. So be sure to keep a close eye on any heifer you deem to be ‘vulnerable’ and maybe give them some extra special treatment.“Remember, the aim is to calve her with as few problems as possible and get her producing – healthy and fertile – in the milking herd.”

Physical hurdlesHe adds that it’s also important to think about the diseases that she may be ‘meeting’ in the milking herd and vaccinating, where possible, according to

Tomorrow’s milkers: protecting your investment in heifer rearing should start with supporting their immunity

• Colostrum – volume, timing and quality are vital

• Calf and heifer nutrition – set and monitor key growth targets and avoid checks in growth. Remember that a heifer should be between 85% and 90% of her mature body weight at first calving

• Avoid heifers becoming too fat. BCS 3 is ideal for calving.

Pointers to maximise and safeguard heifer immunity

best practice. “For me that’s as early as possible for IBR – say six weeks prior to calving. And the same for E coli, if that’s required. It’s best not to ‘load in’ a lot of vaccines all at once too close to calving – say three weeks prior to calving – because the immune system could already be under additional pressure at this time. So plan ahead.”And think about the physical hurdles your heifers will face post calving. Mrs Brown points out that self-locking yokes at feed barriers can be frightening. “So get them used to them prior to calving. A freshly calved heifer that’s afraid to

eat will be immune compromised and vulnerable to disease.”And Mr May adds that making sure that heifers have plenty of space to feed and move around will also minimise stress when they join the milking herd. “Once the job of calving is over, ensuring that heifers get all the energy and nutrients they need to milk, to maintain their health and to get back in calf is vital. So make sure she can get away from any bullies in the herd and that there’s easy access to fresh feed and water at all times. It’s often the little details that can make all the difference.” l

• Minimise stress pre and post calving• Group in-calf and freshly calved

heifers separately where at all possible. Mixing with older cows can create ‘social’ stress. If mixing is unavoidable, allow heifers between three and six weeks prior to calving to get used to the new hierarchy and ensure that any transition cow groups are not over stocked. A maximum of 90%

occupancy is recommended to give heifers space to avoid any ‘bully’ cows

• Give heifers time to calve – they will take longer than second calvers and older cows, so don’t rush them

• Administer NSAIDs to help relieve udder oedema and post-calving pain. Ketoprofen is the only NSAID licensed for use in post-calving udder oedema in heifers.


cm04-heifer immunity.indd 41 17-06-16 14:39

CM04_p42.indd 42 15-06-16 14:20

Convincing figures prove practical value of Better Life figures

CRV’s Better Life figures are proving to be highly effective in significantly improving the technical results of herds. Irrefutable proof has been provided by the analysis of 61,000 animals on almost 300 farms in the Netherlands and Belgium.CRV introduced the Better Life figures in 2013 as practical indicators to help producers to breed efficient, easy-to-manage herds. Each CRV bull is scored for these traits. Large-scale analysis in practical situations has revealed the huge value of these figures for breeding purposes.

Higher lifetime production The effect of Better Life Efficiency is immense. For lifetime production, this study has shown that for each 1% improvement of Better Life Efficiency in the herd results in additional lifetime production of 1,500kg.A comparison of the 25% highest

scoring animals with the 25% lowest scorers also shows:• 13,086kg higher lifetime production

(based on more than 22,000 culled animals)

• 2047kg higher milk production (305 days)

• 16% higher in herd average• 146kg extra fat and protein (305 days).So higher scores for Better Life Efficiency results in huge differences that are highly relevant in practical applications. The 25% highest scoring animals for Better Life Efficiency showed a marginally longer calving interval (+15 days), which can chiefly be attributed to the much higher milk production in this group. Producers must, therefore, start insemination slightly later.

Better health and fertilityThe clearly beneficial effects also apply to Better Life Health, in the areas of both health and fertility. The 25%

highest scoring animals compared with the 25% lowest scorers showed:• 39% lower incidence of sub-clinical

mastitis (on average in first three lactations)

• 23% fewer hoof disorders (on average in first three lactations)

• 55% fewer stillborn calves at their first calving

• 57% lower incidence of ketosis (on average in first three lactations)

• 26-day shorter calving interval.

BreedingData Plus unitsTo analyse the figures, CRV used data from almost 300 herds (BreedingData Plus units) where the performance of the cows can be linked directly to genetic predisposition based on genomic analysis. Better Life figures appear to be an extremely suitable and valuable tool that can be utilised when selecting bulls and young stock.

The daughters of Browning, £PLI 442, are very efficient (+10%) and give extremely high milk yields (+863kg).

Weper DeventerWillem’s Hoeve Superstar 1140

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Willem’s Hoeve R Browning (Snowman x Ramos)This sire is worth his weight in gold because he transmits +34.6kg (+0.01%) of fat and +25.1kg (–0.03%) of protein.

Browning descends from the Rita cow family, which is renowned for outstanding conformation. With a total score of 114, udder 112, frame and dairy strength both 108, and 107 for feet and legs Browning also has excellent conformation. Add a low –21 SCC score, as well as great udder health and good longevity, this new daughter-proven bull has a lot to offer. Available from CRV Avoncroft priced at £18 per straw for 50 straws. Freephone 0800 7831880.

B R E E D I N G I N F O R M A T I O N


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Reduce risk and boost milk production from home-grown feed

Flexible ‘forage’ friend

Fermented wholecrop is commonly regarded as a poor man’s maize – an

alternative starchy forage to be grown where maize will not thrive. But all this could be about to change as trials suggest it can be the key to reducing risk and unleashing greater production from forage.So says Biotal’s Roy Eastlake, who is

convinced that wholecrop offers a unique degree of flexibility that could help to ensure better yields of higher quality forage are produced more consistently, year on year.“The foundation to a robust dairying system is maximising the proportion of milk produced from forage,” he says. “Yet, year in and year out, many

producers struggle to produce as much as they truly need, or quality fails to meet expectations due to the season. “Rather than being able to consider how best to use, say, 12kg DM per day of an average 11MJ per kilogramme feed, they have to find ways to eke out supplies or complement quality. Both options reduce milk production from forage and increase costs.”

Risk managementMr Eastlake says that the main reason for this is the risks inherent in forage production and the lack of risk management practices on farm. “The majority of forage systems in the UK are based on a combination of grass and maize silage, meaning that producers are relying on both crops performing

Growing and feeding wholecrop offers so much more than just

an alternative to maize silage. Not only can it take the sting out

a bad growing season – be it for grass or maize – but it can also

help to increase milk produced from home-grown forage.

text Phil Eades

F E E D I N G

Essential ingredient: wholecrop is one of three forages in the Hartpury College herd’s TMR


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good year’,” he says. In 2014 many producers saw poor grass silage and reasonable maize. In 2015 grass was better, but maize was disappointing in some areas. “In both these years, producers had to work around forage shortfalls in quantity and quality and find ways to feed cows cost effectively,” adds Mr Eastlake.He says that one way to reduce risk is to grow a third ‘flexible’ crop, where production can be tailored in response to the season, and a recent trial has shown that fermented wholecrop offers huge potential.

Cut strategically“Rather than being considered as just an alternative source of starch to maize, it should be seen as a way to spread risk,” Mr Eastlake says. “By allowing a range of harvest dates, it can be cut strategically to react to the season as it unfolds. This flexibility can make it easier to more consistently achieve the yields of quality feed required to maximise yield from forage and reduce the demand for purchased feeds.“Fermented wholecrop is the only crop grown in the UK that has the potential to offer this. To exploit this potential, producers need to better understand exactly what the crop offers. In short, is wholecrop more than a just starch substitute for maize?”Biotal carried out a major trial in 2015, in conjunction with NIAB. The objectives were to compare 11 winter and spring options; to understand how crop development affects nutritional value; and to devise practical strategies based on harvesting criteria. It asked: can wholecrop management be tailored to produce a specific type of forage to suit different circumstances? The trial results showed that by varying the cutting date it is possible to influence the yield, dry

matter and nutritional value of a crop. Wholecrop is not a one-stop feed like maize and grass. “It is a truly flexible feed and, importantly, analysis of the forages produced confirmed that cutting date can be varied without significantly impacting on overall D value. For all the crops grown, the digestibility stayed constant with time,” says Mr Eastlake. Typically seen as a way of preserving winter wheat, the trial showed that a wide range of crops are suitable. Producers can choose a crop to suit their unit, their herd and their rotation – whether they are looking for a winter or spring option. This choice means wholecrop can be grown on the overwhelming majority of dairy units.“By growing wholecrop to spread risk and increase forage production, strategies can be developed to help deliver more robust systems with lower and more predictable costs of production,” he adds.

Several benefitsOne producer who has been successfully using wholecrop since 2008 is Peter Lord, farm manager at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, who incorporates wholecrop into this 300-cow herd’s ration. “We first grew wholecrop because we were going to be short of maize, but it is now an integral part of the system and I wouldn’t want to be without it. It offers several benefits.“It fits our system perfectly. Spreading the summer workload and being harvested in July helps reduce the pressure to establish grass behind it. We usually grow around 30 hectares of winter wheat. It has consistently yielded about 35 tonnes fresh weight per hectare, at between 33% and 36% dry matter.”The wholecrop is fed as part of a TMR with both grass and maize silage. Typically forage dry matter intakes will be between 12.7kg DM/cow and 13kg DM/cow, with around 1kg DM of wholecrop.“It is not a huge proportion of the diet, but we have the option to feed more if one of the other forages fails to perform. But wholecrop brings more to the diet than its nutrient content. It helps to ‘open up’ the diet, improving presentation and intakes, which make it a really valuable part of the system.”Mr Eastlake suggests that as producers are unlikely to see milk prices increase to previously high levels again, developing robust and lower cost systems will be essential for the future prosperity of many businesses. “So thinking differently about how to produce forage to reduce risk will be a good place to start.” l

Peter Lord: “Wholecrop is now an integral part of our system”

Roy Eastlake: “One way to reduce risk is to grow a third ‘flexible’ crop”

at optimum levels if target yields are to be achieved. “In a good year for both, this can deliver high yields of quality forage, providing the foundation of cost-effective diets. But what about in a bad year? “The reality is that we have not had a year when both crops have been better than average for more than five years. And, despite what some will tell you, there is no such thing as ‘being due a


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Fast track cows geared to achieving health, fertility and production targets

Precision milk production

Selecting dairy sires and implementing a breeding programme for replacements

is relatively new territory for Frank Carter – prior to this he and his brother Anthony only bred about 25% of their herd to dairy bulls and raised just a handful of their own heifers. Calf and heifer rearing therefore became a more vital part of the business as well as taking control of herd health and fertility in their now year-round calving closed herd.Working closely with the Park Veterinary

During the past two years Warwickshire-based producers,

Frank and Anthony Carter, have made a U-turn with their

dairy, moving from a mainly flying herd to a data-led precision-

managed system. By focussing on the key indicators and realistic

targets they are aiming for a herd of efficient, fast-track cows.

text Karen Wright

M A N A G E M E N T

Homebred replacements calve between 22 and 24 months old

Group’s Peter Orpin and dairy consultant Rob Mintern, the pair have learned the ropes relatively quickly. “It was difficult to build on performance when we were buying in the majority of our heifers,” says Frank. “We were also buying in problems.”A strategic review and economic analysis of the unit identified the key areas to focus on and where investments could be justified. Fertility was identified as a particularly important key performance

indicator (KPI) along with heifer rearing. Monitoring and fine-tuning through regular team briefings encouraged improvements.

Avoiding ‘fads’Every year the herd is benchmarked using InterHerd data with other herds within the Park Vet Group. In-house farmer training and benchmarking has shown what is possible and has motivated action. “It’s a team approach and we all share clear strategies rather than jumping from one fad to another,” says Peter, who has encouraged Frank and Anthony to maximise the use of their NMR records and track performance indicators for fertility and health through InterHerd and Myhealthyherd. Fundamental to the success of the herd at Olde Farm, which is part of the 200-hectare arable and livestock unit just south of Rugby, is ensuring that it’s running at capacity throughout the year to maximise annual milk production, as economically


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as possible. While the current annual average yields are 10,522kg on twice-a-day milking, at 4.19% fat and 3.38% protein, the important figure is milk sold per year, which is close to 11,000kg per cow. “This is why fertility is so important – it calls for a herd of fast track cows that get in calf easily and have healthy lactations,” adds Peter. “We seek to create a platform of a healthy herd with easy calvings, optimum intakes pre and post calving to maintain body condition, low cell counts and lameness-free cows. Slow track cows are a problem as they demand more inputs.”Modifications have been made to support their aims including the daily use of a footbath, more regular foot trimming and effective digital dermatitis control. An investment in mattresses and cubicle improvements have aided cow comfort. A health review through Myhealthyherd and completing the AHDB Dairy mastitis plan has resulted in a marked 40% reduction in clinical mastitis cases and a reduction in somatic cell count to 162,000cells/ml.“We now dedicate more time to teat preparation,” says Frank, who shares milking herd duties with herdsman Alan

Warman. “We make sure that the clusters are attached to clean teats.”

BVD eradicatedBreeding their own replacements will also improve herd health. “We’re not buying in other people’s problems. We’ve already been able to eradicate BVD, vaccinated against IBR with an aim to eradicate it, and we have a robust Johne’s plan in place.” Nutrition plays a vital part too. Regular contact with Rob keeps the cows on track. Dry matter intakes of 22.7kg are targeted with an energy density of 12.3MJ to preserve body condition and hoof pad integrity post calving. The herd is managed as one group and fed a TMR, twice a day, which is made up of grass and maize silage, a protein blend, protected fat and a bespoke high quality mineral blend. The fat-to-protein ratio and fatty acid profile in milk samples is monitored and the ration is adjusted to maximise its benefit to fertility and ensure that dietary components are meeting requirements and not in excess. “I’ll also get regular calls from Frank if there’s feed left in the feed passage or if milk quality deviates from expectation,”

says Rob. “This might be when they open a new silage clamp and we need to act quickly to prevent any impact on the milk price.” Milk is sold to Muller on a Dairy Crest liquid contract with bonuses for yield and fat.

Fertility efficiency boostedComparing the Carter’s key performance indicators with those in other herds shows that progress is being made. Calving interval is 368 days, well within NMR’s top 25% of herds, and the three month services per conception rate is 2.22, up from the 12 month rolling average of 2.32. “They’ve made significant improvements year on year,” says Peter. “We now have 50% of cows in calf by 100 days and, most importantly, only 10% are not in calf by 200 days. Fertility efficiency – which is the percentage eligible for service that conceive – has improved by 50% during the past two years which is fantastic for a high yielding herd.”Heifer rearing has also been improved dramatically. “The Myhealthyherd health evaluation showed that there is an opportunity to improve calf health with potential savings of more than £65 per calf reared,” says Peter. Now, with an investment in calf hutches – that paid for themselves within six months through improved calf performance – a protein diet and individual weight monitoring, calves are targeted to increase their birth weight three fold by weaning at 12 weeks and should be fit for service at 12 to 13 months old. Removing BVD from the herd was a big step forward in young stock health too. Heifers now typically calve down to sexed semen at between 22 and 24 months. “An ideal target is to have heifers back in calf by their second birthday,” says Anthony, who looks after calf and heifer rearing. “We find that heifers that calve at around 22 months old get back in calf easier than those that calve at 25 months plus.”A tight calving interval and a low age at first calving, with few health problems, is contributing to an improved lifetime daily yield. This has increased from 11.6kg/day to 13.2kg/day during the past 12 months. “We’re reducing the number of unproductive days, which helps to boost our lifetime daily yield. And herd longevity is now increasing so we will soon be in a situation where we will have surplus heifers to sell and another income stream,” adds Frank. l

Anthony Carter, Peter Orpin, Frank Carter, Rob Mintern and Tom Carter

Calves are now reared in hutches


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appearance at the CowManagement stand on

Wednesday July 6. Come and meet him, take part

in our darts competition and take away a signed

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Feeding specia l

August (August 25) – In the August issue we’ll have our annual feeding special, including an article about optimising rumen function. And, of course, we’ll profile this year’s NMR/RABDF Gold Cup winner.

C O M I N G U P

Red and white holsteins meeting at the water troughPicture: Harrie van Leeuwen

CowManagement is published eight times per year by CRV Holding BV

Editorial teamChief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael PorterPhone 01394 270587E-mail [email protected], design and production VeeteeltContributing writers Emily Ball, Phil Eades, Roger Evans, Allison Matthews, David Matthews, Ben Pike and Karen WrightPublisher Rochus Kingmans

Chief editor’s addressP.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The NetherlandsPhone 0031 26 38 98 821. E-mail [email protected] internet www.cowmanagement.net

SubscriptionsCowManagement is available free of charge to customers of NMR, Avoncroft and Thompsons.If you think you are eligible, please contact:NMR Customer Services, Ground Floor Building 26, Pannal Industrial Estate, Station Road, Harrogate HG3 1JLPhone 08447 255567E-mail [email protected]

AdvertisementsJonathan Davies, NMR. Phone 07970 017243E-mail [email protected] Gemmink, Froukje VisserP.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands, E-mail [email protected]

Illustrations/picturesPhotographs by Veeteelt Photography, Ruth Downing (12, 34-35), Hattie Miles (14-15) and Els Korsten (43).

DisclaimerCowManagement does not necessarily share the views expressed by contributors. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers. No responsibility can be accepted by CRV Holding BV for the opinions expressed by contributors. While every effort is made to obtain reliable and accurate information, liability cannot be accepted for errors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

Printer Stephens and George Ltd.Phone 01685 352097ISSN 1570-5641

A D V E R T I S E R S ’ I N D E X

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June 23-26: Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, ScotlandJuly 6-7: Livestock Event, NEC, BirminghamJuly 12-14: Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North YorkshireJuly 18-21: Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, PowysAugust 25: NMR Scottish farm walk, Baltier Farming Company Ltd, Whithorn, Newton StewartSeptember 14: UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, ShropshireOctober 4-8: World Dairy Expo, Madison (United States)October 5: The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, SomersetOctober 25: Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, CarmarthenNovember 2: British Mastitis Conference, Sixways Stadium, Warriors Way, WorcesterNovember 4-13: Royal Winter Fair, Toronto (Canada) November 16: Agriscot, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, ScotlandDecember 8: Royal Ulster Winter Fair, Eikon Exhibition Centre, Balmoral Park, Lisburn (Northern Ireland)

C O N T A C T S

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C O N TA C T S


S H O W S A N D E V E N T S

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We’ve come to expect therapeutic efficacy and productivity benefits from Metacam. What we didn’t expect, until recently, were fertility benefits too. A new large-scale (over 500 cows) landmark study found that adding Metacam to standard antibiotic therapy for mastitis is associated with a greater first-service conception rate, fewer inseminations required to conceive and a higher probability of pregnancy by 120 days post-calving compared with cows receiving antibiotic therapy alone1. Expectations of Metacam treatment are changing. Are yours?

Ask your vet if treating mastitis with Metacam could work for you.

NO ONE WAS EXPECTING THISTreating mastitis with Metacam® also improves fertility 1

Reference 1. McDougall et al (2016) Addition of meloxicam to the treatment of clinical mastitis improves subsequent reproductive performance. J Dairy Sci 99(3): 2026-2042.

Advice on the use of Metacam 20mg/ml solution for injection of cattle, pigs and horses or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon. Metacam contains meloxicam. UK: POM-V IE: POM. Further information available in the SPC or from Boehringer Ingelheim Limited, Vetmedica, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YS, UK. Email: [email protected]. Date of preparation: Dec 2015. AHD8671. Use Medicines Responsibly (www.noah.co.uk/responsible)

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cow management uk june-july 2016

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