Grass only milking

[bazza3034]

any one feeding no meal to milking cows while out at grass pro and cons

 

[lazy farmer]

Drought

 

[bazza3034]

How are they milking or are they at all we are the opposite its flooding here

 

[jondear]

Difficult when getting so dry now .Try not to feed until Autumn.But will need significant rain soon.

 

[organicguy]

Autumn block calving, feed nothing after turnout, no problem.

 

[Bipper]

Agree with that. Flip side is if you are autumn calving can you afford to feed concentrate while at gass?

certainly not past May/June for us. Although obviously depends on milk/feed price.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

If you're not organic and you're not on a really crappy contract then I think it pays to always feed a couple of kilos.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

If you're not organic and you're not on a really crappy contract then I think it pays to always feed a couple of kilos.

It’s very easy to have a very low purchased concentrate bill but a high cost of production. I think some get caught up in the grass only ideology and forget to look at their own numbers.

 

[it's not over]

Problem with grazing is keeping a consistent supply of quality grass. Even with constant topping grass quality drops in late summer. Meal feeding here (n.antrim) is a must

 

[Sid]

If you're not organic and you're not on a really crappy contract then I think it pays to always feed a couple of kilos.

It's the ppl v ppkg ratio.
When milk price is 38p/l and cake is 42p/kg it's questionable to pump tail.
When milk price is 42 p/l and cake 38p/kg then go for it!

 

[lazy farmer]

It's the ppl v ppkg ratio.
When milk price is 38p/l and cake is 42p/kg it's questionable to pump tail.
When milk price is 42 p/l and cake 38p/kg then go for it!

38p base price id cut cows and concentrate

 

[Cows 'n grass]

It's the ppl v ppkg ratio.
When milk price is 38p/l and cake is 42p/kg it's questionable to pump tail.
When milk price is 42 p/l and cake 38p/kg then go for it!

Isn't Omsco something crazy like -15ppl seasonality in may?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

38p base price id cut cows and concentrate

Why 38p and not at 30p?

 

[it's not over]

Big pro for feeding meal is keeping a rapid flow through the parlour. Surely even a little meal will pay for itself in extra production

 

[lazy farmer]

Why 38p and not at 30p?

Because the call of a simpler life with less worry keeps getting louder.

 

[Farmer Keith]

You’d need a hell of a farm ay, drought safe but not wet and with a fairly low stocking rate. As already said I’m not sure why you’d bother the shoulders of the season would be a tricky balance.

 

[Llmmm]

I think the main problem from grass only is that as the season goes on dung paths become unpalatable even if topped this means intakes are lower.If no meal at grasa is to be a sucess youd need a low yielding cow that could hold conditiob

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Because the call of a simpler life with less worry keeps getting louder.

So why not change things at 30p?

Aren't you already relatively highly stocked and quite a big concentrate feeder for a spring calver? Aren't you also growing some wheat to sell?

I'm all for the simple life.

 

[Sid]

Isn't Omsco something crazy like -15ppl seasonality in may?

Depends on spring v rest of year production, like Arla can only pay out what comes in!

 

[Beef farmer]

Agree with that. Flip side is if you are autumn calving can you afford to feed concentrate while at gass?

certainly not past May/June for us. Although obviously depends on milk/feed price.

In May early june we where cruising around at over 19 liters at over 9% solids. 2kg wheat gluten costing 15ppkg looked a good investment to me with a milk price of 33p