A fodder budget calculated for Stephen and Hazel Wallace’s farm near Seaforde, Co Down, in mid-July suggested a winter feed shortage was on the cards.
After taking various steps to rectify the potential deficit, a revised budget indicates that Heenandale Farm is now carrying a fodder surplus for the 2020-21 winter.
Both budgets are based on an expected winter demand of 1,970t of fresh-weight silage. The make-up of this is detailed in Table 1.
Like any budget, it includes various assumptions, with the main one being the length of the housing period. The forecast of a six-month winter for the milking cows and five months for young stock is based on the average housing period on Heenandale Farm over recent years.
It should be noted that keeping cows at grass for longer can play a key role in addressing winter feed shortages, as every month that the milking herd is not housed saves Stephen 250t of silage.
The fodder budget in July suggested a winter feed deficit of around 125t. The main issue was down to dry weather from April through to mid-June, which led to lower yields of both first- and second-cut silage.
The initial budget included a prediction for third-cut silage yields and since then, Stephen has third-cut in the pit, plus surplus grass from the grazing platform has been baled.
Identifying the potential problem and calculating the fodder budget early in the summer allowed Stephen time to weigh up his options and take steps to address the winter feed shortfall.
Updated budget
The most recent review of winter feed stocks indicates that there is 2,030t of silage available on the Wallace farm. This includes 700t of first-cut, 480t of second and 340t of third.
There is estimated to be 260t of baled silage in the yard and 250t of purchased silage is in a pit on an outfarm.
The revised fodder budget suggests a potential surplus of 60t of fresh-weight silage. The change from the first budget is mainly due to extra bales being made and a larger area was used for third-cut than originally planned.
Also, the estimates for the tonnage of first-cut in the pit was revised upwards from 655t to 700t. This stemmed from the height of the clamp being underestimated slightly last time round.
Stephen has more surplus grass on the milking platform that he hopes to get mowed and baled this week.
His weekly grass measuring on the grazing block has proved critical for bridging the fodder shortfall, as the grass wedge graph gives Stephen confidence to take out surplus when supply is above demand.
The fodder budget for the Wallace farm will be revised and updated throughout the autumn and winter.
Calculating a fodder budget is advised for all farmers at present, especially those who have had to start winter diets earlier than planned or have had to house cattle temporarily during the wet weather.
For steps on estimating fodder stocks and calculating a fodder budget, see www.ifj.ie/dairylinkfodder.
Fine tuning dry and stale cow nutrition
Cows are housed for the final four weeks of the dry period on the Wallace farm and are offered silage and 2kg/head/day of a dry cow blend.
Stephen makes baled silage specifically for dry cows from ground that received no slurry. This means lower potassium levels in the silage, which reduces the risk of milk fever.
A cross-section of this silage analysed at a dry matter of 27.4%, metabolisable energy of 10.3 MJ/kg DM and crude protein of 10.9%.
Dairylink adviser Aidan Cushnahan calculates that the cows will have an overall energy intake of 115 to 125MJ/cow/head/day, based on intakes of 9kg to 10kg DM of silage and 2kg of pre-calver blend.
This is in line with target intakes for cows in the second half of the dry period of around 110 to 120 MJ/head/day.
“Body condition in the dry cow group on the Wallace farm appeared satisfactory, as cows inspected appeared to have body condition score around 2.5 to 3.0,” Aidan said.
The other suggestion given to Stephen during a visit last week was to increase average concentrate feed rate for late-lactation cows by 2kg/head/day. This was to allow for reduced grass dry matter intakes due to the wet weather.
This would leave milk from forage at around maintenance plus 10 litres/cow/day, down from maintenance plus 14 litres/cow/day earlier in the month.
Drier weather this week will lift dry matter intakes, so there could be scope to cut back concentrates to stale cows. However, Aidan points out that cows producing 10 litres from grass is a realistic target for most farms in mid-September.
“You need to keep a close eye on body condition score to ensure cows do not lose excessive amounts of condition as they approach drying off. It is hard to put condition back on during the dry period and it means cows will start the next lactation on the back foot,” he said.
Calving is under way for Dairylink farmers with autumn-calving herds.Nitrogen and phosphate fertiliser applications have been completed for the 2020 season.Fodder budgets are being revised and updated as late cuts of silage are ensiled on programme farms.Autumn-calving farmers are selecting sires ahead of the 2020/21 breeding season.
A fodder budget calculated for Stephen and Hazel Wallace’s farm near Seaforde, Co Down, in mid-July suggested a winter feed shortage was on the cards.
After taking various steps to rectify the potential deficit, a revised budget indicates that Heenandale Farm is now carrying a fodder surplus for the 2020-21 winter.
Both budgets are based on an expected winter demand of 1,970t of fresh-weight silage. The make-up of this is detailed in Table 1.
Like any budget, it includes various assumptions, with the main one being the length of the housing period. The forecast of a six-month winter for the milking cows and five months for young stock is based on the average housing period on Heenandale Farm over recent years.
It should be noted that keeping cows at grass for longer can play a key role in addressing winter feed shortages, as every month that the milking herd is not housed saves Stephen 250t of silage.
The fodder budget in July suggested a winter feed deficit of around 125t. The main issue was down to dry weather from April through to mid-June, which led to lower yields of both first- and second-cut silage.
The initial budget included a prediction for third-cut silage yields and since then, Stephen has third-cut in the pit, plus surplus grass from the grazing platform has been baled.
Identifying the potential problem and calculating the fodder budget early in the summer allowed Stephen time to weigh up his options and take steps to address the winter feed shortfall.
Updated budget
The most recent review of winter feed stocks indicates that there is 2,030t of silage available on the Wallace farm. This includes 700t of first-cut, 480t of second and 340t of third.
There is estimated to be 260t of baled silage in the yard and 250t of purchased silage is in a pit on an outfarm.
The revised fodder budget suggests a potential surplus of 60t of fresh-weight silage. The change from the first budget is mainly due to extra bales being made and a larger area was used for third-cut than originally planned.
Also, the estimates for the tonnage of first-cut in the pit was revised upwards from 655t to 700t. This stemmed from the height of the clamp being underestimated slightly last time round.
Stephen has more surplus grass on the milking platform that he hopes to get mowed and baled this week.
His weekly grass measuring on the grazing block has proved critical for bridging the fodder shortfall, as the grass wedge graph gives Stephen confidence to take out surplus when supply is above demand.
The fodder budget for the Wallace farm will be revised and updated throughout the autumn and winter.
Calculating a fodder budget is advised for all farmers at present, especially those who have had to start winter diets earlier than planned or have had to house cattle temporarily during the wet weather.
For steps on estimating fodder stocks and calculating a fodder budget, see www.ifj.ie/dairylinkfodder.
Fine tuning dry and stale cow nutrition
Cows are housed for the final four weeks of the dry period on the Wallace farm and are offered silage and 2kg/head/day of a dry cow blend.
Stephen makes baled silage specifically for dry cows from ground that received no slurry. This means lower potassium levels in the silage, which reduces the risk of milk fever.
A cross-section of this silage analysed at a dry matter of 27.4%, metabolisable energy of 10.3 MJ/kg DM and crude protein of 10.9%.
Dairylink adviser Aidan Cushnahan calculates that the cows will have an overall energy intake of 115 to 125MJ/cow/head/day, based on intakes of 9kg to 10kg DM of silage and 2kg of pre-calver blend.
This is in line with target intakes for cows in the second half of the dry period of around 110 to 120 MJ/head/day.
“Body condition in the dry cow group on the Wallace farm appeared satisfactory, as cows inspected appeared to have body condition score around 2.5 to 3.0,” Aidan said.
The other suggestion given to Stephen during a visit last week was to increase average concentrate feed rate for late-lactation cows by 2kg/head/day. This was to allow for reduced grass dry matter intakes due to the wet weather.
This would leave milk from forage at around maintenance plus 10 litres/cow/day, down from maintenance plus 14 litres/cow/day earlier in the month.
Drier weather this week will lift dry matter intakes, so there could be scope to cut back concentrates to stale cows. However, Aidan points out that cows producing 10 litres from grass is a realistic target for most farms in mid-September.
“You need to keep a close eye on body condition score to ensure cows do not lose excessive amounts of condition as they approach drying off. It is hard to put condition back on during the dry period and it means cows will start the next lactation on the back foot,” he said.
Calving is under way for Dairylink farmers with autumn-calving herds.Nitrogen and phosphate fertiliser applications have been completed for the 2020 season.Fodder budgets are being revised and updated as late cuts of silage are ensiled on programme farms.Autumn-calving farmers are selecting sires ahead of the 2020/21 breeding season. 
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