Feed to yield instead of batch feeders

[Durry cows]

My current feed cost is 7ppl calving and extra milk should take this to 6ppl buy xmas don't forget forage costs £100+ per kg dm. I'm high Input so it's all about extra liters over fixed costs.

What average kg per head would you be running if you don't mind me asking and corn or straights? Mines rape @ £177/ ton and biscuit meal @ £135 (spot prices higher ATM tho) might come back this week with strong pound

 

[Stinker]

For me I like to keep it simple. 6kg flat rate most of the year. My high yielders have all the grass they want to eat. I want high yielders eating lots of forage not just being grain burners.

If the high yielders can't handle the 6kg grain and eat enough forage to sustain themselves they can go up the road.

Top yielders peaking over 60lt.

How much forage would a cow have to eat with only 6kg of concentrate to give 60 liters. Your silage must be better than mine. I allow for 10l from silage and 0.4kg per litre so I would be feeding a 60l cow 20kg of concentrate not 6. Currently 4.5f 3.4p

 

[More to life]

What average kg per head would you be running if you don't mind me asking and corn or straights? Mines rape @ £177/ ton and biscuit meal @ £135 (spot prices higher ATM tho) might come back this week with strong pound

Nearly all straights and lots home grown your rape price is a good one I'm paying £200 for rape but only feed 2kg overall 11 kg average

 

[Durry cows]

that was forward bought next load looks like it will be that though Soya @330 roughly at the min will price up again this week. My silage isn't great this year Maize is real good tho clamped brewers grains @£25/ton gonna start feeding 8kg head @20p/cow/day should be cheap feed 24 pro 13.5 me I reckon they were near 40 dry too but gonna get them analysed.

 

[Blue.]

I know a chap who feeds up to 25kg he gets away with it by feeding very overgrown silage,very simple system where he feeds with a bucket and cows are fed via oopf and robots.

 

[Durry cows]

I know a chap who feeds up to 25kg he gets away with it by feeding very overgrown silage,very simple system where he feeds with a bucket and cows are fed via oopf and robots.

Must be making it work though

 

[Blue.]

Must be making it work though

It's a crying shame as he's on one of the best farms around,it's a system that would work on the top of a mountain.

There really isn't many grazing herds round here,most just make the best silage they can,then live with it for the rest of the year,I'm currently feeding last years 2nd cut and it will last till mid January,I'm not looking forward to this years silage as it was a challenge to make.

 

[Durry cows]

It's a crying shame as he's on one of the best farms around,it's a system that would work on the top of a mountain.

There really isn't many grazing herds round here,most just make the best silage they can,then live with it for the rest of the year,I'm currently feeding last years 2nd cut and it will last till mid January,I'm not looking forward to this years silage as it was a challenge to make.

I'm not actually sure who's making more money tho he doesn't have a feeder to run/depreciate etc sounds simple

 

[Blue.]

I'm not actually sure who's making more money tho he doesn't have a feeder to run/depreciate etc sounds simple

It is a simple system works for him,he just has to beat the compounder with a big stick to get the best price.

I work on a different principle,my feeder was very cheap and I look after it,what I saved in a month with using straights paid for the feeder.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Durry cows]

It is a simple system works for him,he just has to beat the compounder with a big stick to get the best price.

I work on a different principle,my feeder was very cheap and I look after it,what I saved in a month with using straights paid for the feeder.

Different strokes for different folks.

Similar idea here if I do put feeders In id like to mix my own perhaps but it's so easy just to ring corn firm

 

[Blue.]

Similar idea here if I do put feeders In id like to mix my own perhaps but it's so easy just to ring corn firm

We used to mix our own for feeding in the parlour,main thing was making sure the mixer was totally empty,augers and parlour feeders don't like lumps of silage.

 

[pappuller]

Decided to not chase yields as silage on paper is better than in the trough, upped to av 8 kg per day through the robots and 2 kg through the wagon, av 30 litres lot of cows to calve next 6 wks so targeting those

 

[Durry cows]

What do you reckon to it then? Probably get 18% dairy cake at roughly £200 but not priced it up maybe do it with straights and molasses for 20-30 cheaper? What did you mix @eulb ?

 

[Blue.]

What do you reckon to it then? Probably get 18% dairy cake at roughly £200 but not priced it up maybe do it with straights and molasses for 20-30 cheaper? What did you mix @eulb ?

We used wheat distillers,maize gluten and sugar beet,all nuts so it wasn't over dusty,it would be in the late £170s? at the minute.

 

[Durry cows]

What do you feed now out of interest all in the mixer or still feed in parlour? I fed gluten to milkers and youngstock when it was 150 or so a ton that's youngstock on straw 3kg day and when milkers were at grass seemed ok

 

[More to life]

What do you reckon to it then? Probably get 18% dairy cake at roughly £200 but not priced it up maybe do it with straights and molasses for 20-30 cheaper? What did you mix @eulb ?

Don't forget time waste and cash flow group bought cake is the way forward

 

[Serup]

Don't forget time waste and cash flow group bought cake is the way forward

Maybe a stupid question, but how does that work? Never heard of it.

 

[Durry cows]

Don't forget time waste and cash flow group bought cake is the way forward

Yeh think I would agree plus it's easier! 1 less job I'm on the lookout for a cheap bin at the minute plus some second hand feeders

 

[More to life]

Maybe a stupid question, but how does that work? Never heard of it.

Only if you feed in a parlour. Join a group of farmers who put out a combined tonnage for tender. large groups can get big discounts if they are well run.

 

[Blue.]

What do you feed now out of interest all in the mixer or still feed in parlour? I fed gluten to milkers and youngstock when it was 150 or so a ton that's youngstock on straw 3kg day and when milkers were at grass seemed ok

I feed a small amount of compound in my out of parlour feeders then the rest is straights,I only buy calf starter ration for use till weaning,the rest get straights.

I'm on a special price with my compounder,I know the biggest buying group around can't match the price,purely because I'm one on the doorstep of the compounder and I always deal with the top man,a rep can never give you the true "best price"