Cheapest way to mop up protein

Location
West Wales
I’ve been a bit slow on reducing the protein in the cake and made a balls up because the silage is sky high in protein. Due a load of cake next week so that will help somewhat but we still need to mop up some protein to keep the cows happy. Milk is dropping like a stone currently and the cows are seemingly ravenous constantly, I assume due to anything they eat coming straight back out.
I’ve bunged some straw in the mix tonight and could add a bale of wrapped steamy silage tomorrow. After this what’s my best option? Access would limit maize being an option unless a bulker instead of a walking floor.
 

pappuller

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
M6 Hard shoulder
I’ve been a bit slow on reducing the protein in the cake and made a balls up because the silage is sky high in protein. Due a load of cake next week so that will help somewhat but we still need to mop up some protein to keep the cows happy. Milk is dropping like a stone currently and the cows are seemingly ravenous constantly, I assume due to anything they eat coming straight back out.
I’ve bunged some straw in the mix tonight and could add a bale of wrapped steamy silage tomorrow. After this what’s my best option? Access would limit maize being an option unless a bulker instead of a walking floor.
You not grazing ? What are we talking when you say sky high ? Whats you cakes protein ? Parlour cake or wagon cake ?
 
Location
West Wales
You not grazing ? What are we talking when you say sky high ? Whats you cakes protein ? Parlour cake or wagon cake ?
Out in the day in at night due to crap growth.
silage protein is 17.5 I think on last analysis but very wet too 24/25dm. Hopeful it’s just a band and will dry out.
parlour cake is a 16% will be 14 delivered this week. Smidge of blend at 16%
Ureas at 0.046
 

frederick

Member
Location
south west
I'm not sure it's protein. Silage is 17 cake is 16 and at most there having 6 kg DM grass protein could be low 20s. Overall ration won't be much more than 17-18%.
Cows can cope with surplus grass protein quite well. There is either something else in ration taking protein further.
Straw won't hurt but your14% cake will only bring overall protein down by 0.6 if it's making up a third of DM intake.
 
Location
West Wales
Sounds like lack of energy rather too much protein. Have intakes dropped for any reason?
A possibility silage is 10.8me I think on last sample but we did stop feeding it for a bit to finish another clamp so possible the front had reduced in quality a chunk again. But then they are still having a fair bit of grass which should be north of 12?

could increase blend tomorrow and see what result is?
 
Location
West Wales
Good slug of Grain maize in concentrate is great for mopping up protein but wether it will add up on 20 litre cows or wether they would be having enough of anything to make a difference I doubt it.

fairly happy if it doesn’t lift milk just hold them steady. I fear the way they’re heading well be in a big metabolic mess that we’ll struggle to come back from this lactation.
 
What is winter scour?
I think the correct term is winter bovine dysentery. It’s a viral infection. Knocked our cows for 6 in June of our first proper yr of spring calving. Luckily the recovered to about 95% of previous production. The yield drop was scary as we didn’t know what we were going to produce that season anyway. But it needed to be higher than that
 

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