Autumn calving cow milk yields

Carlowmann

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Carlow Ireland
I would be interested in hearing opinions on target milk yields of autumn calving cow calving September/October and going to grass last week of March early April depending on weather
After turnout in the spring Would you go for a higher yield where the cow gets grass and cake or lower yield and grass alone is enough to finish out lactation
Winter feeding is not a problem can be tmr or sheargrab grass silage at rail and cake in parlour
Milk is sold on volume
Minimum fat and protein 3.7 and 3.3
No payment for higher constituents
Interested in hearing opinions i run a 1 man show and keeping things fairly simple
 

frederick

Member
Location
south west
I would be interested in hearing opinions on target milk yields of autumn calving cow calving September/October and going to grass last week of March early April depending on weather
After turnout in the spring Would you go for a higher yield where the cow gets grass and cake or lower yield and grass alone is enough to finish out lactation
Winter feeding is not a problem can be tmr or sheargrab grass silage at rail and cake in parlour
Milk is sold on volume
Minimum fat and protein 3.7 and 3.3
No payment for higher constituents
Interested in hearing opinions i run a 1 man show and keeping things fairly simple
8000 litre herd average. 4.6 3.6
Take 17-20litres from grass in spring.
That is using maize.
 

Carlowmann

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Carlow Ireland
20/23 lts here at 4.2. 3.8 on 2/3 kgs cake and grass
Been grazing since 16 January
Calving is sept/oct
Try and do as much milk and get as many in calf before turnout
That's what i was thinking have the cows back in calf and all calves off milk before turnout
Then I'd only have milking and keep grass in front of the cows leaving more time for other jobs like slurry and silage or a few hours off
Getting the work and time off balance is important
 

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
I’m too far up the hill to grow maize or wheat so purely grass silage and cake. Currently sitting at around 6000-6500 at 4.8 and 3.6. I’m not sure how it’ll stack up this winter with cake prices but time will tell. Turn them out last few days in feb ideally. Earlier you get them out the better and next year will be no different.
 

Carlowmann

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Carlow Ireland
I’m too far up the hill to grow maize or wheat so purely grass silage and cake. Currently sitting at around 6000-6500 at 4.8 and 3.6. I’m not sure how it’ll stack up this winter with cake prices but time will tell. Turn them out last few days in feb ideally. Earlier you get them out the better and next year will be no different.
Cost of inputs versus winter bonuses will be crucial next winter , I've some dry ground beside cowtrack that I'm planning on reseeding next year so going to sow some forage rape for winter grazing
I've already been asked for a prediction of intended production for next winter
Are dairies worried farmers might pull production too much mid winter or spring calving herds dry off few weeks earlier
 

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
Cost of inputs versus winter bonuses will be crucial next winter , I've some dry ground beside cowtrack that I'm planning on reseeding next year so going to sow some forage rape for winter grazing
I've already been asked for a prediction of intended production for next winter
Are dairies worried farmers might pull production too much mid winter or spring calving herds dry off few weeks earlier
Minimal winter bonuses here, 7p for litres over 365day average production for September 6ppl for oct 4ppl for novemeber. It amounts to very little In the bigger scheme of things especially if cake is £450 a ton. Hence my initial comment about getting them out, 4 months of cheap to produce milk once they’re all back in calf is what makes an autumn herd really tick.
 

crashbox

Member
Livestock Farmer
What are best breeds for the autumn job?
Always thought you need volume to dilute the additional winter housing costs, but also need that fertility...
So unsure the best beast for the job.
 

Carlowmann

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Carlow Ireland
What are best breeds for the autumn job?
Always thought you need volume to dilute the additional winter housing costs, but also need that fertility...
So unsure the best beast for the job.
Excellent question the more I learn the more i realize how little i know
I think contract payment specifications has some influence on breed
Ideally i want volume with a flat lactation curve , on a very limited and small scale I have used some MRI/Rotbunt, Montys and Brown Swiss on my black and whites . The Brown Swiss i would use again
 

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
Excellent question the more I learn the more i realize how little i know
I think contract payment specifications has some influence on breed
Ideally i want volume with a flat lactation curve , on a very limited and small scale I have used some MRI/Rotbunt, Montys and Brown Swiss on my black and whites . The Brown Swiss i would use again
The MRI’s I had here did little for volume or milk quality 🤣🤣🤣
 

In the pit

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembrokeshire
Nice crossbred cow weighing 500/550 kgs hopefully doing around 7000 lts at 4.5 and 3.5
Feed system of grass/maize or all grass on an self feed/ easy feed system with 1.5 tons of cake
Get most milk and cows in calf on a settled indoor feed and then turn out early and reap the rewards
Most of all keep the system simple
 

DairyNerd

Member
Livestock Farmer
What are best breeds for the autumn job?
Always thought you need volume to dilute the additional winter housing costs, but also need that fertility...
So unsure the best beast for the job.

The argument about diluting winter housing costs is widespread and I always find it interesting. You can have pretty low costs with the right cows and set up block calving any time IMO. The key always is low machinery costs and a winter as short as your farm allows, keeping grass in the diet at every opportunity.

If your ground is all in one block I would favour all grass. Not sure where you are in the country but ideally you need to turn out early, get round silage ground by mid-March and cut in late-April/early May to make quality grass silage, that should be possible with the demand you have at that time but it is vital. Feed parlour cake post calving until end of service then decrease it as soon as you dare in the early Spring. I think crossbreds are a must on this system, I would target 500-550kg, they will hold conditon better. Reduce cake as soon as grass is in the diet and cut them off completely once you have the grass to do so. Target 6000L from as little cake as possible.

If you have off-ground I would consider Maize, still target 6000L but you should be reducing concentrate input as mix of forages should increase intakes.

I would also say most importantly make sure you run a system you enjoy, the above would just be my preference.
 
The argument about diluting winter housing costs is widespread and I always find it interesting. You can have pretty low costs with the right cows and set up block calving any time IMO. The key always is low machinery costs and a winter as short as your farm allows, keeping grass in the diet at every opportunity.

If your ground is all in one block I would favour all grass. Not sure where you are in the country but ideally you need to turn out early, get round silage ground by mid-March and cut in late-April/early May to make quality grass silage, that should be possible with the demand you have at that time but it is vital. Feed parlour cake post calving until end of service then decrease it as soon as you dare in the early Spring. I think crossbreds are a must on this system, I would target 500-550kg, they will hold conditon better. Reduce cake as soon as grass is in the diet and cut them off completely once you have the grass to do so. Target 6000L from as little cake as possible.

If you have off-ground I would consider Maize, still target 6000L but you should be reducing concentrate input as mix of forages should increase intakes.

I would also say most importantly make sure you run a system you enjoy, the above would just be my preference.
You've just described us.
6200l
Self feed silage
30% concs in the clamp this year.
House in November and turn out jan/Feb. Target mid Feb.
Calve 21st aug outside.
 

DairyNerd

Member
Livestock Farmer
You've just described us.
6200l
Self feed silage
30% concs in the clamp this year.
House in November and turn out jan/Feb. Target mid Feb.
Calve 21st aug outside.
I am calving now until mid June, mainly because my milk contract pays good seasonility from August to November so wanted the cows milking well by start of August. I will also will self feed. Had thought about mixing concentrates into the clamp and not feeding any cake through the parlour in winter, reduce feed bill a bit, what do you mix in with grass silage? Obviously wont be pushing through the winter at all so would not be much just something to get intakes up on just grass silage.
 
You've just described us.
6200l
Self feed silage
30% concs in the clamp this year.
House in November and turn out jan/Feb. Target mid Feb.
Calve 21st aug outside.
The calving date is the one I often question. We calve 8th August so everything can calve outside. Would we be better to calve a month later, house everything after calving and get a bigger lift in yield at turnout?
Pros and cons?
 

DairyNerd

Member
Livestock Farmer
The calving date is the one I often question. We calve 8th August so everything can calve outside. Would we be better to calve a month later, house everything after calving and get a bigger lift in yield at turnout?
Pros and cons?
I would still be trying to get grass in the diet after calving later even if you want to house at night and turn out in the day. You will get better intakes with grass plus silage than just silage.
 

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