Grass only milking

[Dead Rabbits]

There are plenty of Kiwis doing this and have been for years. Must be losing money hand over fist.

Indeed. Grain was significantly more expensive over there last time I compared prices.

I’d love to be grass only but it does not suit our climate, debt load or infrastructure. Two people I know of in the area are doing it out of desperation. Organic buyer left the area and the only other option was grass only. They figured they were in too deep to go back conventional.

 

[Beef farmer]

Indeed. Grain was significantly more expensive over there last time I compared prices.

I’d love to be grass only but it does not suit our climate, debt load or infrastructure. Two people I know of in the area are doing it out of desperation. Organic buyer left the area and the only other option was grass only. They figured they were in too deep to go back conventional.

Interesting that your debt load won't allow a ultra low cost system.
I agree with you 100% but the people who operate grass only must think its either the most profitable way or its there lifestyle choice

 

[Beef farmer]

He's figures 125000 kgs/370 cows/112 ha.
Have read the figures and wasn't OAD for full season, looks like he switched during December on feed available.

Stocked well too. Importing forage? Is that cheating?

 

[sidjon]

Stocked well too. Importing forage? Is that cheating?

No, he would cull extra hard if not enough grass, but he did use a heap of urea, operator cost of 50% of $6.50 pay out.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Interesting that your debt load won't allow a ultra low cost system.
I agree with you 100% but the people who operate grass only must think its either the most profitable way or its there lifestyle choice

*Not my debt. Grass based dairying quickly falls apart when it don’t rain and ryegrass doesn’t grow from June-August anyway. Being grass only actually increases your cost of production(for us), lower costs but less production. Still have to pay that mortgage no matter the weather.

I’d love to run all grass 900 cows OAD. 2 people and part time person or two could handle it all after calving and breeding.

 

[Pilatus]

We are 100% grass, use LMS to dose the cows

Any update on how things have worked out.

 

[easy farming]

Any update on how things have worked out.

As soon as you pass magic day there should be no problem feeding grass only. What cow type, yield etc are you looking for?

 

[Pilatus]

As soon as you pass magic day there should be no problem feeding grass only. What cow type, yield etc are you looking for?

Although retired , I am still interested in how farming is going round in circles .

 

[daveydiesel1]

What sort of litres would u get from grass only in summer? I usually cut 1 kilo a head a day off them after turnout and normally gibe it back around end of August when quality goes down. It's a short summer here in ni

 

[Wee Willy]

What sort of litres would u get from grass only in summer? I usually cut 1 kilo a head a day off them after turnout and normally gibe it back around end of August when quality goes down. It's a short summer here in ni

Does this mean that a cow getting 8kgs in the house goes back to 7kgs??? I would feed a max of 4kg. Most cows 2/3 kgs.

 

[daveydiesel1]

Does this mean that a cow getting 8kgs in the house goes back to 7kgs??? I would feed a max of 4kg. Most cows 2/3 kgs.

Yes the top milkers would get 8 on grass

 

[Sid]

Yes the top milkers would get 8 on grass

Cheaper type of nuts? 14%?

 

[daveydiesel1]

Cheaper type of nuts? 14%?

It would be a 16% nut. What litres would u expect to get on grass with 4 kilos a day from a fresian type cow

 

[Jdunn55]

It would be a 16% nut. What litres would u expect to get on grass with 4 kilos a day from a fresian type cow

Atleast 20

15kgdm of grass at only 10me is 150mj
-80 for maintenance = 70
70 ÷ 5.5 = 12.7 litres
4kg of concentrates = 8 litres

12-14% nut here, no need for 16 if they're getting plenty of grazed grass

 

[daveydiesel1]

Atleast 20

15kgdm of grass at only 10me is 150mj
-80 for maintenance = 70
70 ÷ 5.5 = 12.7 litres
4kg of concentrates = 8 litres

12-14% nut here, no need for 16 if they're getting plenty of grazed grass

Mabe im just throwing money away feeding so much in summer then.

 

[Farmer Keith]

You’ll find that if the grass is good it’s better than the cake, I’ve seen me cut a kg off and the milk go up. Emphasis on good grassland management to keep it that way though.

 

[Jdunn55]

You’ll find that if the grass is good it’s better than the cake, I’ve seen me cut a kg off and the milk go up. Emphasis on good grassland management to keep it that way though.

That last sentence is vital, I've had to use cake for the past couple of years because my grass management is sh!t
Try again this year and see what happens, still dreaming of 4500 litres from forage

 

[Spudley]

It would be a 16% nut. What litres would u expect to get on grass with 4 kilos a day from a fresian type cow

We feed 3 or 4 kilos to our march-may herd and produce about 23 litres. They're freisians and Norwegian Red crosses.

 

[daveydiesel1]

We feed 3 or 4 kilos to our march-may herd and produce about 23 litres. They're freisians and Norwegian Red crosses.

See i calve all year round and would be quite good at the grass management but was always scared to cut the meal incase the cows dropped and the 1s further in lactation didnt come back up

 

[Sid]

See i calve all year round and would be quite good at the grass management but was always scared to cut the meal incase the cows dropped and the 1s further in lactation didnt come back up

Many factors. Stocking rate,bought in feed(conc and fodder) costs v milk price.

£650/t and 50p/l didn't make me feed alot last summer.