Feeding my dairy cows

Dairyfarmer2016

Member
Livestock Farmer
Good morning I’m really struggling with my dairy cow intakes, one day they lick the trough clean the next day there’s half of it left. I feel like my nutritionist is only out to sell tons of feed, I have a rep in the yard nearly every week with only just 6 months into my tenancy. They all inform me they can do better and there feed is better and I’m getting sick of them all there like vultures! Am I mad at thinking I should have a go at putting a ration together myself they are on TMR fed to yield in the parlour on auto id and in two groups high and low any help will be gratefully recieved!!
 

Fergieman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northumberland
Listen to too many feed reps and you'll go round in circles! You can not deal with them all. Either find an independent nutritionist or a nutritionist working for one company. A lot of feed sales people are not nutritionists and as you say only interested in selling tonnes of feed. Where about in the country are you?
 
I hate it when reps just turn up in the yard I don’t mind when they ring you up first as you can tell them your busy if you don’t want to see them
 

Farmer Fin

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
Good morning I’m really struggling with my dairy cow intakes, one day they lick the trough clean the next day there’s half of it left. I feel like my nutritionist is only out to sell tons of feed, I have a rep in the yard nearly every week with only just 6 months into my tenancy. They all inform me they can do better and there feed is better and I’m getting sick of them all there like vultures! Am I mad at thinking I should have a go at putting a ration together myself they are on TMR fed to yield in the parlour on auto id and in two groups high and low any help will be gratefully recieved!!
Are you changing how much you are feeding on a day to day basis? If you alter are you altering by cow portion or just reducing silage? What is yield / constituents like? Are they eating their parlour cake? What is the dung like? Agree with some of the other comments about reps. Might be worth speaking to EBVC who are in your neck of the woods and may get you settled and sorted.
 

jimmer

Member
Location
East Devon
Check your variables
Assuming weighers on mixer, are they working OK?
Is person filling mixer being consistent?
Are feeding times consistent?
Are you or your vet concerned about acidosis?
 

Dairyfarmer2016

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have checked and re checked weigher they get fed twice a day both at milking time the highs are averaging 30 litres but I feel they are milking of their backs as they arnt eating enough forage there dung is a bit loose butterfat at 4.3 protein is at 3.4 there on a blend/fodder beet/maize and silage
 

Dairyfarmer2016

Member
Livestock Farmer
One rep turned up last week and claimed moving to there blend they would eat 15 kg more of silage so he was reminded about the lockdown and turned away 🤬
 

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