Grass growth rates have just turned the corner towards more seasonal norms on Greenfield Farm this week. A growth rate of 32kg/day was recorded on Monday for the previous six days. With warmer temperatures remaining and plenty of bag nitrogen out, these growth rates could be expected to continue and improve further.
The inclement March-April weather has seen only a third of the grass grown on the farm to date compared with the same period in 2017. Using average weekly growth rate figures, the farm grew over 260t last year compared with just over 85t this year. The difference is very significant and the feed gap was filled with purchased grass silage and meal. It is fair to say spring 2017 was almost perfect for grass growth in the east of the country, while 2018 has almost been the complete opposite so far.
This week last year the farm recorded a growth rate of 70kg per day compared with the 30kg/day recorded this week. All through February and March last year, the farm was moving nicely, growing 20kg to 30kg per day – this year the growth rates were trickling along at less than 10kg per day for most of that same period.
This week the herd is starting to graze some of the paddocks that were grazed in early February. The paddocks have a cover between 800kg and 1,000kg. It’s the bare minimum for a pre-grazing cover. If you graze any lower covers, you have to allocate a large proportion of area and, if it’s wet, dairy herds sometimes experience digestive upsets as you mix in very lush green high-protein feed with starchy concentrates fed at relatively high rates (3kg to 4kg morning and evening).
Milk impact
The difficult grazing conditions in March and early April have seen milk production lag significantly behind 2017 levels, despite additional purchased feed. Milk volumes are back and milk solids are back. March volumes delivered were back 50,000 litres for the month (26%) and April production continues to lag behind.
For the first two weeks in April, when the herd were out grazing by day and then in on silage and meal for the rest of the time, volumes are back almost 40,000 litres compared with the same period in 2017 (see graph).
On a milk solids basis, the herd milk sales are back between 20% and 28% for the last six weeks (see graph).
Herd impact
The herd were condition scored almost two weeks ago, a month in advance of the start of breeding, and 11 out of 330 cows were identified as below target condition score (2 or 2 plus) and selected to go on once-a-day milking. Most of the herd were closer to condition score 3. Putting a proportion of the herd that are under-scored on once-a-day milking and feeding them well during that period will improve condition score in the short term.
Financial impact
Budgets are being revised as extra feed costs, falling milk prices, falling milk volumes and poorer performance affect projected returns. At the moment extra feed is costing the farm about €6,000 per week (€2.50/cow/day). Silage is costing about 25c/kg DM and 3kg of extra meal is being fed to balance the overall diet. Lower volumes and lower milk solids amount to a lower output of over €1,000 per week. The retail price of the extra feed has lifted in the last three weeks. The price per tonne of the 16% nut delivered in 10t loads plus has lifted from €287/t to €315/t as the farm feeds more meal to fill the feed gap.
Current production
Milk production remains in or around 18 litres per cow on the diet of 6kg of meal, 6kg of silage and 6kg of grazed grass. Protein percentage has jumped up and down 0.3% depending on how much grass is in the diet. On the dry days when grazed grass is possible the protein jumps to 3.49% and above. When the cows can’t get out, the protein drops to 3.25% and below. The last test result shows 3.41% protein and 4.46% fat (1.46kg MS). These were the test results for the collection on 14 April.
Animal health
The herd were vaccinated this week in advance of the start of breeding for IBR. The maiden heifers still need to get the BVD and IBR booster vaccination. There are still over 100 calves on the farm but more will leave the farm this week to reduce the workload and cost.
In Brief
10 tonnes of feed grown on the farm for March and April 2018 compared to 40 tonnes the year before. Milk volumes and milk solids percentages back as grazed grass replaced with grass silage and meal. Double impact on budgets as milk output down and feed costs up. Second round grazing starts this week with a cover of 800 to 1,000kg on the first paddocks grazed. Read more
Protein flows as grass returns on Greenfield Farm
Farmers count cost of fodder crisis
Grass growth rates have just turned the corner towards more seasonal norms on Greenfield Farm this week. A growth rate of 32kg/day was recorded on Monday for the previous six days. With warmer temperatures remaining and plenty of bag nitrogen out, these growth rates could be expected to continue and improve further.
The inclement March-April weather has seen only a third of the grass grown on the farm to date compared with the same period in 2017. Using average weekly growth rate figures, the farm grew over 260t last year compared with just over 85t this year. The difference is very significant and the feed gap was filled with purchased grass silage and meal. It is fair to say spring 2017 was almost perfect for grass growth in the east of the country, while 2018 has almost been the complete opposite so far.
This week last year the farm recorded a growth rate of 70kg per day compared with the 30kg/day recorded this week. All through February and March last year, the farm was moving nicely, growing 20kg to 30kg per day – this year the growth rates were trickling along at less than 10kg per day for most of that same period.
This week the herd is starting to graze some of the paddocks that were grazed in early February. The paddocks have a cover between 800kg and 1,000kg. It’s the bare minimum for a pre-grazing cover. If you graze any lower covers, you have to allocate a large proportion of area and, if it’s wet, dairy herds sometimes experience digestive upsets as you mix in very lush green high-protein feed with starchy concentrates fed at relatively high rates (3kg to 4kg morning and evening).
Milk impact
The difficult grazing conditions in March and early April have seen milk production lag significantly behind 2017 levels, despite additional purchased feed. Milk volumes are back and milk solids are back. March volumes delivered were back 50,000 litres for the month (26%) and April production continues to lag behind.
For the first two weeks in April, when the herd were out grazing by day and then in on silage and meal for the rest of the time, volumes are back almost 40,000 litres compared with the same period in 2017 (see graph).
On a milk solids basis, the herd milk sales are back between 20% and 28% for the last six weeks (see graph).
Herd impact
The herd were condition scored almost two weeks ago, a month in advance of the start of breeding, and 11 out of 330 cows were identified as below target condition score (2 or 2 plus) and selected to go on once-a-day milking. Most of the herd were closer to condition score 3. Putting a proportion of the herd that are under-scored on once-a-day milking and feeding them well during that period will improve condition score in the short term.
Financial impact
Budgets are being revised as extra feed costs, falling milk prices, falling milk volumes and poorer performance affect projected returns. At the moment extra feed is costing the farm about €6,000 per week (€2.50/cow/day). Silage is costing about 25c/kg DM and 3kg of extra meal is being fed to balance the overall diet. Lower volumes and lower milk solids amount to a lower output of over €1,000 per week. The retail price of the extra feed has lifted in the last three weeks. The price per tonne of the 16% nut delivered in 10t loads plus has lifted from €287/t to €315/t as the farm feeds more meal to fill the feed gap.
Current production
Milk production remains in or around 18 litres per cow on the diet of 6kg of meal, 6kg of silage and 6kg of grazed grass. Protein percentage has jumped up and down 0.3% depending on how much grass is in the diet. On the dry days when grazed grass is possible the protein jumps to 3.49% and above. When the cows can’t get out, the protein drops to 3.25% and below. The last test result shows 3.41% protein and 4.46% fat (1.46kg MS). These were the test results for the collection on 14 April.
Animal health
The herd were vaccinated this week in advance of the start of breeding for IBR. The maiden heifers still need to get the BVD and IBR booster vaccination. There are still over 100 calves on the farm but more will leave the farm this week to reduce the workload and cost.
In Brief
10 tonnes of feed grown on the farm for March and April 2018 compared to 40 tonnes the year before. Milk volumes and milk solids percentages back as grazed grass replaced with grass silage and meal. Double impact on budgets as milk output down and feed costs up. Second round grazing starts this week with a cover of 800 to 1,000kg on the first paddocks grazed. Read more
Protein flows as grass returns on Greenfield Farm
Farmers count cost of fodder crisis
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