Grassman247
Member
Perhaps you may be onto something as the autumn herd is on silage wholecrop and grains plus cake when they are being served as they are being housed during that period
Non return rates
- Thread starter Grassman247
- Start date
Perhaps you may be onto something as the autumn herd is on silage wholecrop and grains plus cake when they are being served as they are being housed during that period
Grassman247
Member
Done 4 of them, spot on every time and if it was the Ai men then there wouldn’t be a 5% empty rate on the autumn herd would there?
Grassman247
Member
Buffer feed?
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Grassman247
Member
I actually think you and multi power have hit the nail on the head
dinderleat
Member
- Location
- Wells
Put some megalac in the cake
Grassman247
Member
Changed cake in April and it’s got more megalac in
More to life
Member
- Location
- Somerset
Feed 5kg instead of 4 until service is 3 weeks over
Cows 'n grass
Member
- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
Is the breeding the same on the spring and autumn herds? What are your milk proteins like at the time you start serving in both herds?
I hate buffer feeding. It's very difficult to get cows to hit target residuals when they know they have silage to come into and when the weather is poor cows give up eating very quickly . I would rather feed 5/6/7 kg of a very low protein, fibre based cake.
I hate buffer feeding. It's very difficult to get cows to hit target residuals when they know they have silage to come into and when the weather is poor cows give up eating very quickly . I would rather feed 5/6/7 kg of a very low protein, fibre based cake.
Grassman247
Member
Only difference on both herds is there’s some Ayrshire in the autumn herd, proteins il check tomorrow
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
Sounds like you are a victim of your own success, you are acheiving 8k yields off 6k feeding and somewhere along the line something has to give, more cake to balance the requirements maybe ? Even though it goes against the ethos of the system.
I was at a talk from a guy from volac and he said getting cake with megalac in it was a waste of time as the rates were far too low to be useful. We have been using megamax this spring and it is claimed to be a better product. Some wholecrop would be a good buffer along with grass.
http://www.megalac.com/products/176-megamax
Grassman247
Member
Had jersey in the herd from years ago and we really aren’t fans. Just haven’t got the characteristics we are after
CowFeeder/RugbyProp
New Member
I would test your forage and water for minerals and have a bespoke mineral put together using your diet and all info available. I can do this for you if your interested?
CowFeeder/RugbyProp
New Member
Fat
lazy farmer
Member
- Location
- som/dor border
you have to choose which is most profitable high yields and a high empty rate or lower yields and a much lower cheaper replacement rate. The yields you are achieving will always come at a cost only you can decide whether it’s more profitable or not.
I would also be asking questions around the system as a whole. If the system could be autumn calving then I would be considering it as you are obviously very good at managing higher yields whilst getting cows in calf.
I would also be asking questions around the system as a whole. If the system could be autumn calving then I would be considering it as you are obviously very good at managing higher yields whilst getting cows in calf.
lazy farmer
Member
- Location
- som/dor border
For reference ours are doing 27-28 litres with a 6000 avg or 510 kgs of solids. Currently over 70% NNR
Grassman247
Member
Yes system could be autumn calving, but the spring herd is 2-3p more profitable year on year, it’s also more profitable to have a higher yield than a lower one, have checked the figures. Would just be nice to have the best of both worlds ideally
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
As the old saying goes, milk in the tank,money in the bank
- Tags
- holstein milk yield minerals yields