Feed to yield instead of batch feeders

[Headless chicken]

currently batch feed in parlour and just grab silage. It's a simple system which is brilliant but we are seriously over feeding some cows in order to make sure the highest yeilders aren't missing out on energy. Just wondering if anyone else has made the change?

The problem I see with it is although we will save a lot of money no one gives you that money back. If feeders cost me 10k no one will say at the end of the year well done you here's your money back. Although it's saved it's different to extra money.

Options are to change the in parlour feeders or go for oopf. If in parlour we don't want it to slow us down. Oopf would only be switched on from calving to turn out in the spring then be off. My concern with them is with numbers growing they will restrict my ability to buy cattle.

What's people's thoughts?

 

[More to life]

How many kg do you give them now headless

 

[Fergieman]

I feed to yield, and my thoughts are you don't save feed but you keep feed back from the low yielders and give to the cows that are needing it the most. For an AYR calving herd it is a no brainer but for a seaonal calving herd the benifits will not be seen as much.

 

[Headless chicken]

How many kg do you give them now headless

They're having 8kg a day currently which really needs to drop but I've still got some stragglers to calve. Started calving 1st August so some are well into lactation now.

Bought a lot of heifers this year so at a rough guess I've got a range between 20-40l a day

 

[Headless chicken]

I feed to yield, and my thoughts are you don't save feed but you keep feed back from the low yielders and give to the cows that are needing it the most. For an AYR calving herd it is a no brainer but for a seaonal calving herd the benifits will not be seen as much.

Tend to agree with you and arguably my problems come about because of a) not having a tight enough block
B) buying a huge variation of cows.

My other problem with batch feeders is I have to dry all my dry cows off before the first one calves or risk feeding them way to much late laceration so I loose a lot of tail end milk

 

[Beef farmer]

If you want to complicate your life then go OOPFs. Of just give Bradley a load of shite for sending cows out of block and keep it tight and simple.

 

[Fergieman]

Its a simple syatem and if you calibrate the feeders and set the parameters correctly it works well and you don't have to worry about feeding rates in the parlour.

 

[More to life]

I don't think you will see your money back in the Parlour.

 

[Headless chicken]

If you want to complicate your life then go OOPFs. Of just give Bradley a load of shite for sending cows out of block and keep it tight and simple.

Tbf the ones left to calve are my slips from last year when nothing was happy in the old shed.

Don't you currently feed to yield?

 

[Beef farmer]

Tbf the ones left to calve are my slips from last year when nothing was happy in the old shed.

Don't you currently feed to yield?

Have the option but I don't and shall not. Feed the cows I like, if the holstiens don't get in calf, then bye bye

 

[Serup]

I feed to yield, and my thoughts are you don't save feed but you keep feed back from the low yielders and give to the cows that are needing it the most. For an AYR calving herd it is a no brainer but for a seaonal calving herd the benifits will not be seen as much.

No brainer or not, my herd is AYR and i feed all the same, and by most peoples standard on here, i feed them a lot!
We had feeder stations before, where we feed cake by yield for many years. Now it all goes in the TMR, and our yield is higher and cows are healthier and feed to milk conversion is higher than before, so i'm not going back.
Not many in DK feed by yield, and many have very high yields.

 

[More to life]

Have the option but I don't and shall not. Feed the cows I like, if the holstiens don't get in calf, then bye bye

I'll own up some of my cows get 19kg in theory parlour and tmr what are you feeding beefy

 

[Dragon]

HC
I know of one 14 28 that has 2 batch feeders side by side one does 2.5 the other does say 1.5kg. So the whole row gets 2.5kg, then individual cows can be topped up 1.5kg

 

[Beef farmer]

I'll own up some of my cows get 19kg in theory parlour and tmr what are you feeding beefy

Yeah I feed 19kg a day.




Between 4 cows.

 

[Fergieman]

I used to batch feed and found the lower yielders just put fat on their backs. Alot depends on your system and one size dosn't fit all.

 

[multi power]

What you need is a mixer wagon, a second shed for high yielders



Or just carry on as you are, over feeding is never wasted, just wait until you have barrens to sell

 

[More to life]

Yeah I feed 19kg a day.




Between 4 cows.

Some how I knew it would be ridicule

 

[Beef farmer]

Some how I knew it would be ridicule

I haven't a cow capable of eating 19kg of concentrate.

 

[More to life]

I haven't a cow capable of eating 19kg of concentrate.

I'm not sure I have it's easy on paper, you still not telling then?

 

[Beef farmer]

I'm not sure I have it's easy on paper, you still not telling then?

5kg flat across the board. When we finish serving will push the cows as hard as we can. Selling 24 litres @ 4.62 3.78 so I know I'm feeding too much, but I want to get them in calf.